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
Wright Advances Powertrain Tests For Planned All-Electric Narrowbody Airliner
Wright Electric aims to develop an all-electric airliner with capacity similar to that of 190-seat Airbus A320 twinjets and to have this ready to enter service by 2030.
FutureFlight
Samad Says Deliveries of eStarling Cargo Aircraft Will Start in Late 2022
The UK company has begun the certification process for its all-electric eStarling Cargo aircraft, which is a scaled-down version of its hybrid-electric five-passenger vehicle.
FutureFlight
UKRI Invites Entries For Phase 3 of Future Flight Challenge
With UK government funding, the competition is offering grants to support projects aimed at advancing, “integrated aviation systems and underpinning technologies that enable new classes of electric or autonomous air vehicles.”
FutureFlight
Helicopter Veteran Seeks Leading Role in Advanced Air Mobility Revolution
Having operated helicopters for more than 70 years, Bristow is planning to add eSTOL and eVTOL aircraft to its fleet and wants to partner with manufacturers to support the rollout of advanced air mobility.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Xwing Seeks FAA Clearance for Commercial Remotely Piloted Flights
The company is looking to certify its autonomous flight technology on commercial cargo operations flown by its subsidiary company, San Antonio Air Charter.
FutureFlight
Tetra Aviation's Mk 5 Personal eVTOL Starts Flight Testing
The Japanese start-up is conducted unmanned flight tests at Byron Airport in California as it prepares to begin delivering kit-built versions in late 2022.
FutureFlight
Electra Pursues Applications For Its eSTOL Aircraft in Australia
The U.S.-based manufacturer is partnering with advanced air mobility infrastructure developer Skyportz to explore the potential for urban and regional services carrying passengers and freight.
FutureFlight
NASA Flight Testing Starts with Noise Evaluation of Joby's eVTOL
Wisk Aero and Reliable Robotics are also providing aircraft for flight testing as part of a NASA project designed to inform the reguluatory environment for advanced air mobility, while also improving public awareness and confidence.
FutureFlight
VoltAero Boosts Advisory Board With a Trio of Airbus Veterans
The French company is working to certify three members of its hybrid-electric Cassio family of aircraft, with initial deliveries anticipated from late 2023.
FutureFlight
Lilium Nominates Airline Entrepreneur Neeleman For Post-Merger Board
David Neeleman is chairman of Brazilian airline group Azul, which intends to buy 220 Lilium Jets for its planned launch of eVTOL commercial services in 2025.
Aircraft
Electric Power May Transform Regional Airline Business Models
Airline fleets could transition from a dependence on fossil fuels to meet climate change goals, but the move to electric aircraft could cut costs as well.
FutureFlight
Skyportz Teams with Microflite To Build Australian Advanced Air Mobility Sector
Australian helicopter operator Microflite intends to start operating new electric aircraft and also to back ground infrastructure specialist Skyportz in providing support for other air taxi and freight operators.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Skyportz Opens Crowdfunding Investment Offer to Build Ground Infrastructure Network
The company is backed by partners including Nexa Capital and Arup in its plans to develop vertiports for air taxi and drone delivery operations.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Electric Aviation Pioneers' Fortunes Rise and Fall on Updated SMG Reality Index
Joby now tops SMG Consulting's Advanced Air Mobility Reality Index, which the firm updates monthly based on its analysts' assessments of 20 companies' prospects for bringing new aircraft to market.
Aircraft
Bristow Orders 50 eSTOLs To Launch Air Services in 2026
Helicopter operator Bristow intends to buy up to 50 hybrid-electric STOL airplanes being developed by Electra Aero for air services starting in 2026.
FutureFlight
Hydrogen Advocates Say Theirs Is the Ultimate Path to Aviation's Zero-Carbon Future
Start-ups like Universal Hydrogen, HyPoint, and ZeroAvia are taking different approaches to converting aircraft to hydrogen propulsion, arguing they can get this solution to market quicker than new-build aircraft programs.
FutureFlight
Helicopter Group Bristow Shifts Business Model with Commitment for 50 eSTOL Aircraft
Declining revenues and margin from its core oil and gas sector have prompted the rotorcraft operator to shift into logistics operations using Electra's new eSTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
EHang 2Q Results Dip as It Adjusts to eVTOL Aircraft Operations Business Model
The Chinese eVTOL aircraft developer says it is making progress in bringing its EH216 into commercial service, but costs continued to outstrip income during the second quarter of 2021.
FutureFlight
Honeywell and InfiniDome to Offer GPS Signal Protection For Urban Air Mobility Use
The companies are looking to help eVTOL aircraft and drone operators overcome the problem of GPS signals getting jammed by features such as tall buildings.
FutureFlight
UK Flight Trials Accelerate Ampaire's Plans To Convert Airliners to Hybrid-Electric Propulsion
Amapire says it will work with regional airlines to bring converted Twin Otter and Islander aircraft into commercial service by 2024.
FutureFlight
Archer Teams with Reef To Repurpose Parking Garage Rooftops as eVTOL Landing Sites
The partners say that thousands of inner-city parking garages are underutilized and can be readily converted into vertiports for eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
HyPoint Teams with Helicopter Maker Piasecki To Market Hydrogen Fuel Cells
The companies will offer air-cooled hydrogen fuel cells to eVTOL aircraft developers, promising significant improvements in power performance.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Study Says Electric Aircraft May Need Subsidies to Be Cost Competitive
A study by Roland Berger and the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre evaluates the business case for a hypothetical hybrid-electric 19-seat regional aircraft in real-world competition against existing airliners from Embraer, ATR, and Airbus.
FutureFlight
RED Aircraft Positions Its High-Performance Piston Engine for Hybrid-Electric Propulsion
The German company's 500-hp A03 is the most powerful piston aircraft certified to date and could act as a turbogenerator to power electric motors and recharge batteries.
FutureFlight
Eve Teams with Ascent To Market eVTOL Flights across Asia Pacific Region
Embraer subsidiary Eve Urban Air Mobility is expanding its partnership with flight booking platform Ascent, which is looking to develop a network of urban air mobility services across the Asia Pacific region.
FutureFlight
Jaunt Competes in U.S. Military High-Speed VTOL Challenge with New MAV55 Vehicle
Like its hybrid-electric civil VTOL design, the company's MAV55 Multi-Mission Air Vehicle uses a fixed wing and its slowed rotor compound technology.
FutureFlight
Indian Start-up Prepares To Unveil Hybrid-Electric eVTOL Aircraft
Vinata Aeromobility is raising funds to bring a two-seat vehicle to market by the end of 2023 and expects to unveil a scale model at London's Helitech show in October.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Lufthansa Research Shows How Advanced Air Mobility Startups Hogged Available Capital
So far in 2021, aviation companies drew as much as 65 percent of investments made in the wider travel and mobility tech sector, according to a report from the Lufthansa Innovation Hub.
FutureFlight
Electra Begins FAA Type Certification Process for eSTOL Aircraft
The company has recruited an experienced director of certification and is now working with the FAA's Center for Emerging Concepts and Innovations unit, as well as the agency's Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office.
FutureFlight
Samad Boosts Engineering and Commercial Teams for eStarling Program
The UK-based start-up has added six specialists to its team, which has moved into a larger headquarters as it works to bring the eStarling eVTOL and eSTOL models to market.
