Charles Alcock
Managing Editor
Charles Alcock is a senior editor with AIN, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at Manchester University in the northwest of England and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.
Latest from Charles Alcock
FutureFlight On The Radar
Moving World Report Makes Pitch for Future Mobility
Venture capital group Up Partners has released the first in a series of annual reports tracking trends in multiple aspects of transportation, including advanced air mobility.
FutureFlight
ZeroAvia and Shell Make Plans To Support Hydrogen Flights from Dutch Airport
The hydrogen propulsion system developer is working with energy group Shell and Rotterdam The Hague Airport to prepare for initial demonstration flights with a regional airliner in 2024, followed by operations with fare-paying passengers in 2025.
FutureFlight
Net Zero Research and Development Projects Proliferate as Europe Chases a Clean Aviation Future
European Union-funded work kicking off in 2023 will prepare the way for the launch of regional airliners that could change the environmental and economic landscapes for commercial air services.
FutureFlight
Yacht Owners Offered eVTOL Aircraft for Ship-to-Shore Transportation
Two eVTOL vehicle developers, Air and VRCO, this week announced plans to market their all-electric aircraft to the yachting community.
FutureFlight
Volatus Lays Plans for eVTOL Vertiport in Pennsylvania
The company wants to build the facility at Bellefonte Airport, which is close to Penn State University's campus.
FutureFlight
Germany's Stuttgart Airport Will Be Home to a Hydrogen Aviation Center
With almost $6 million in funding from the German state of Baden-Württemberg, hydrogen propulsion specialist H2Fly will build and manage a facility to support the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
FutureFlight
GKN Aerospace To Develop Wiring System for Lilium Jet
The company will make the electrical wiring interconnection system for the eVTOL aircraft at its facility in the Netherlands and then integrate it at Lilium's factory in Germany.
FutureFlight
U.S. Air Force Provides More Funding for Electra's eSTOL Aircraft
Under a Strategic Funding Increase, the Afrwerx innovation unit is making up to $85 million available to support the Virginia-based start-up's efforts to build and fly a full-scale preproduction model.
FutureFlight
Japan's SkyDrive Focuses on South Carolina for U.S. eVTOL Services
The company is establishing a base in Beaufort County to explore possible uses for eVTOL air taxi services with its two-seat SD-05 vehicle.
FutureFlight
Japan Airlines Backs Plans for Electric Wing-in-Ground-Effect Sea Gliders
The Asian carrier is investing an undisclosed amount in a U.S. start-up called Regent and assessing how sea gliders operating routes of up to 180 miles could better connect Japan's islands.
FutureFlight
Saudi Oil Giant Backs Drone Operations and Traffic Management Group Terra Drone
Aramco's venture capital arm Wa'ed Ventures has invested $14 million in Japan-based Terra Drone to establish a Saudi Arabian division of the drone services and uncrewed traffic management group.
Aircraft
Australian Government Funds Plans To Electrify Aircraft
Dovetail Electric Aviation received an AUD$3 million grant from the Australian government to convert turboprop aircraft to electric propulsion.
FutureFlight
MightyFly Starts Flight Testing Longer-range Autonomous eVTOL Freighter Aircraft
The second-generation Cento design features a new pusher propeller that will allow the derivative of the earlier MF-100 design to carry a 100-pound payload on trips of up to 600 miles.
FutureFlight
Moya Aero Views Agricultural and Cargo Services as Likely Early Uses for Autonomous eVTOL Aircraft
The company's plans to develop an eVTOL vehicle with a 440-pound payload were boosted this week by a $2 million grant from the Brazilian government.
FutureFlight
Advanced Air Mobility Flight Test Site To Open at German Airport
Skyroads will use the Augsburg facility to develop its air traffic automation technology to support the operation of eVTOL aircraft and large drones.
FutureFlight
Australian Government Funds Plans To Electrify Regional Airliners
Dovetail Electric Aviation this week was awarded a A$3 million grant to support its efforts to equip aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan to use electric propulsion systems.
Aircraft
ZeroAvia Achieves First Flight with Hydrogen-powered Airliner
ZeroAvia's hydrogen-powered Dornier 228 flew for the first time on Thursday.
FutureFlight
ZeroAvia Achieves First Flight with Hydrogen-powered Regional Airliner
A 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft with one of its turboprop engines replaced by the company's fuel-cell-based powertrain made a 10-minute flight on January 19 from Kemble Airport in the UK.
FutureFlight
NASA Teams With Boeing To Test Sustainable Narrowbody Airliner
The partners aim to build and evaluate a new concept for a single-aisle commercial aircraft that would feature a truss-braced, high-aspect-ratio wing as part of the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project.
FutureFlight
eVTOL Aircraft Developers Wisk and Lilium Make Leadership Changes
The U.S. and European companies are rebooting their C-suites with new appointments at the start of a critical year for the advanced air mobility sector.
FutureFlight
Apus Wins Strategic Funding for Family of Hydrogen-powered Aircraft
The German company is working on fuel-cell-based propulsion systems for a pair of fixed-wing aircraft aimed at the general aviation and regional airline markets.
FutureFlight
Jetoptera Makes Progress with Propulsion System for U.S. Military's HSVTOL Aircraft
The U.S. start-up is preparing to conduct wind-tunnel tests with a subscale model of its patented Fluidic Propulsion System. It says the system will support unprecedentedly high speeds, while also delivering reduced noise and emissions.
Airports
Airbus Tests Autonomous Flight Diversions, Taxiway Support
The aircraft maker's DragonFly technology could enable automated diversions in response to medical emergencies and improve safety at busy airports.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Latest FAA Heliport Guidance Does Not Include Vertiports For eVTOL Aircraft
The U.S. air safety agency says that for now the advanced air mobility sector should consult with its Office of Airports and Flight Standards.
FutureFlight
Parker Meggitt Develops Energy Buffer for Airbus's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Propulsion System
The company aims to have a prototype of its eBuffer system ready to start ground testing in 2023, and another unit ready for flight testing in 2025 with the chosen ZeroE demonstrator aircraft.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Archer Details eVTOL Program Milestones That Will Release Stellantis Funding
An 8K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission explains what the eVTOL aircraft developer must do to access up to $150 million in fresh capital from the automotive group.
FutureFlight
LCI To Add Elroy Air Chaparral eVTOL Aircraft to Lease Portfolio
The hybrid-electric aircraft, which could complete certification by the end of 2023, will have a payload of around 500 pounds and a range of 300 nm. It is intended for autonomous or remotely piloted operations.
FutureFlight
Destinus Files New Flight Plan to Bring Hypersonic Aircraft to Market
The European start-up expects to begin flight testing the latest prototype of its hydrogen propulsion system in February, as it prioritizes work on a passenger airliner that could shrink the globe by flying at five times the speed of sound.
Airports
London Airports Aim To Boost Business Aviation Workforce
Farnborough and Biggin Hill are both holding careers events in a bid to recruit talent to the industry.
FutureFlight
Drone Flight Trials in Cornwall Could Build a Template for a Nationwide UK Network
The flight trials will aim to demonstrate how uncrewed air vehicles could be used for missions such as making deliveries for the National Health Service and the Royal Mail.
