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
Astro Aerospace Completes Acquisition of Horizon Aircraft
Under a new leadership team headed by former GE Capital CFO Patricia Trompeter and Horizon co-founder Brandon Robinson, the combined venture will pursue the development of three eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
Archer to Unveil Maker Technology Demonstrator Next Week
Archer Aviation will unveil the two-seat technology demonstrator for its planned four-passenger eVTOL aircraft during an event in Los Angeles at 6 p.m. local time on June 10.
FutureFlight
GKN Supplies First Wings, Empennage and Wiring For Eviation Alice Aircraft
GKN Aerospace completed final assembly and integration of these major components for Eviation's all-electric aircraft at its new Global Technology Centre at Bristol in the UK.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Archer Says It Has No Case to Answer In Trade Secret Theft Case Launched by Bitter Rival Wisk
Archer's response to Wisk's U.S. District Court lawsuit sheds new light on its early stealth mode work on a eVTOL aircraft design to dispel Wisk's accusation that its rapid progress could only be based on foul play.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Sustainable Aviation Stands to Benefit From New Green Goals in NASA's Budget
NASA's budget request for 2022 would see funding for aeronautics research and development rise 10.4 percent, with more money for programs like the X-57 Maxwell aircraft, advanced air vehicles, and a new single-aisle airliner.
FutureFlight
Halo Agrees to Buy 200 Eve eVTOL Aircraft For Urban Air Mobility Network
The deal with Embraer is the biggest placed so far in the urban air mobility sector and represents the launch order for the Brazilian manufacturer's four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
Archer Hits Back at Wisk with Counterclaims of Interference and Unfair Competition
Archer has asked a U.S. District Court to dismiss Wisk's intellectual property lawsuit, arguing that Wisk's eVTOL aircraft is based on a patented design.
FutureFlight
Volocopter and Near Earth Join Forces to Develop Autonomous System For VoloDrone
Near Earth Autonomy will combine its hardware with Volocopter's software to develop the autonomous flight system for the unmanned VoloDrone's freight operations.
FutureFlight
Patents for Sale as Battery Specialist Oxis Collapses
The UK-based battery technology specialist Oxis Energy has gone into administration after failing to secure fresh investment despite breakthroughs in areas such as lithium-sulfur batteries.
FutureFlight
Vertical Flight Society Recognizes University Students for eVTOL Aircraft Designs
An eVTOL unmanned aircraft developed by students from the University of Michigan won the top prize in this year's Design-Build-Vertical-Flight competition.
FutureFlight
New York Operator Lima Signs Up For MagniX Caravan Conversion
Lima NY, which operates charter flights as part of the Blade Urban Air Mobility network, is to convert its Cessna Caravan seaplanes to electric propulsion under an agreement with electric motor developer MagniX.
FutureFlight
Ireland's Shannon Airport Set to Become Advanced Air Mobility Hub
Skyports is teaming with several local organizations on the west coast of Ireland to develop a vertiport at Shannon Airport to support eVTOL aircraft passenger and cargo services.
FutureFlight
EHang Unveils Longer-range VT-30 eVTOL Design, But Details Are Sketchy
The hybrid-electric, fixed-wing model is projected to have range of up to 187 miles, but will carry only two passengers, like the existing EH216 aircraft.
FutureFlight
Blended Wing Design Promises To Break eVTOL Payload/Range Mold
Kelekona says it can adapt the blended wing, or lifting body, airframe concept to carry up to 40 passengers on flights between cities that are 350 miles apart.
FutureFlight
Merlin Labs Partners With Special Missions Operator to Convert King Airs for Autonomous Flight
Merlin Labs is developing what its calls a "drop-in autonomy kit" that can convert aircraft such as the twin-engine King Air for remotely piloted operations.
FutureFlight
Joint Machine Learning and Neural Network Study Support EASA Guidance
Artificial intelligence specialist Daedalean and EASA published the findings from their latest Concepts for Design Assurance for Neural Networks study, which supports the European aviation safety agency's proposed roadmap for implementing the technology.
FutureFlight
Faradair Close to Completing Design for Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft
The UK company is almost ready to start structural engineering work for the prototype of an 18-passenger aircraft that it aims to begin flight testing in 2024.
FutureFlight
Honeywell and Automotive Group Denso Launch Urban Air Mobility Alliance
Japanese automotive group Denso produces a wide variety of systems and components for road vehicles and has experience with mass production that could prove valuable in the urban air mobility sector.
FutureFlight
Pipistrel Details Plans for Miniliner Family To Transform Regional Air Service
The Slovenian company's engineering team is evaluating three variations on its design for a 20-seat regional airliner that would be able to fly up to four 350-km trips in succession.
FutureFlight
Airbus's Urban Air Mobility Leader Moves to eVTOL Start-up Vertical Aerospace
The UK-based eVTOL aircraft developer has appointed Eduardo Dominguez Puerta as its chief commercial officer to help it bring the five-seat VA-X4 model to market in 2024.
FutureFlight
Wisk Asks Court to Stop Archer Proceeding with eVTOL Aircraft Program
Ahead of the July 7 start of its lawsuit against Archer alleging theft of trade secrets and intellectual property, Wisk's attorneys have requested a preliminary injunction against its rival.
FutureFlight
Business Aviation Group Luxaviation to Operate eVTOL Flights For Lilium
Luxembourg-based Luxaviation has 10 European air operator certificates and manages a fleet of more than 100 business jets and helicopters.
FutureFlight
Skyports Aims to Provide Vertiport For Japan's Osaka-Kansai World Expo
The UK-based company, which develops ground infrastructure including vertiports and also is involved in commercial drone operations, views Japan as a potential early adopter of eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Intellectual Property Case Hinges on Theft Allegations and Archer's Fast-track Development Claims
Wisk's lawyers will argue that rival eVTOL developer Archer couldn't possibly have designed its new five-seat model so quickly without stealing intellectual property from its rival. Archer says the lawsuit is baseless.
FutureFlight
How the Integration of Drones into Public Airspace Is Clearing the Path for eVTOL Aircraft Autonomy
Thales says it is close to finalizing the design of an aircraft collision avoidance system for smaller unmanned air systems, and that this could be a template for larger autonomous aircraft.
FutureFlight On The Radar
EASA Surveys Europeans To Assess Public Acceptance of Urban Air Mobility
The European aviation safety agency assessed the perspectives of 4,000 citizens in six European metropolitan areas. It found that more than four-fifths of respondents had a "positive initial attitude" to the new aviation sector.
FutureFlight
Fidelity and Amazon Back Beta In $368 Million Funding Round
The additional capital will support the expansion of Beta Technologies' engineering and production resources as it works to bring the Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft to market by 2024.
FutureFlight
Volocopter Adds Larger, Longer-range eVTOL to Its Portfolio
The German company intends to directly challenge rival like Joby, Archer and Lilium with a four-seat lift-and-push eVTOL model with a range of 60 miles.
FutureFlight
U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Boost Advanced Air Mobility
The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act calls for transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg to establish a working group to develop a national strategy and coordinate interagency action.
FutureFlight
EASA Prepares to Publish Means of Compliance Details for eVTOL Certification
The European safety agency will issue phase two means of compliance requirements in June 2021, followed by phase three in November.
