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
European Ferry Group Commits To Buying Regent Sea Gliders
Brittany Ferries wants to start operating a version of Regent Craft's new electric sea glider that would be able to carry between 50 and 150 passengers on popular routes between France and the UK.
FutureFlight
Xeriant and XTI Aircraft Form Joint Venture To Bring TriFan 600 VTOL Aircraft To Market
At a June 14 press conference Xeriant and XTI Aircraft confirmed plans for a 50:50 joint venture to pursue type certification for the hybrid-electric TriFan 600 VTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
New Zealand Coastal Site Now Available for Aerospace Test Facilities
Developers of eVTOL aircraft are among the aerospace companies being invited to establish test and development facilities on coastal land on the Kaitorete Spit near Christchurch on New Zealand's south island.
FutureFlight
EHang Deploys eVTOL Aircraft in Chinese Covid Containment Effort
EHang is providing support to officials in China's Guangdong provinces who are trying to reverse a resurgence in Covid-19 infections. Several of its eVTOL aircraft and drones are being operated from a base in Guangzhou.
Aircraft
XTI Partners With Xeriant To Develop TriFan VTOL
XTI believes its fixed-wing, ducted fan VTOL aircraft will be bought by operators currently using existing business aircraft and helicopters.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Standards Group SAE Issues Guidance On Durability and Integrity of Electric Propulsion
The new ARP8689 document from SAE International is intended to help electric propulsion system developers meet the requirements of regulators for durability and integrity.
Aircraft
Airbus Starts Work on Hydrogen Fuel Tanks for Airliners
Airbus has set up Zero Emissions Development Centers in France and Germany to develop cryogenic hydrogen fuel tanks for its planned Zero E airliners.
FutureFlight
Eve Partners with Ascent To Prepare for eVTOL Flights in the Asia Pacific Region
Ascent says that flights in the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft being developed by Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions will be offered through its booking platform in various Asia Pacific countries.
FutureFlight
Embraer's Eve Urban Air Mobility Unit Seeks Merger With Zanite SPAC
The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer confirmed that its Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions subsidiary is in talks to merge with Nasdaq-listed Zanite Acquisition Corp to advance plans to develop eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
Airlines Place Biggest eVTOL Orders To Date As Vertical Goes Public
Vertical Aerospace is merging with special purpose acquisition company Broadstone, boosted by pre-orders for up to 1,000 of its VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft from American, Virgin and Avolon.
Aircraft
Embraer Confirms Talks To Merge Eve eVTOL Unit with Zanite
Embraer is in talks over a possible merger of its Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions subsidiary and special purpose acquisition company Zanite.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Blog Takes Readers Behind the Curtain to See the eVTOL Aircraft Certification Process for What It is
Lilium's chief program officer and head of airworthiness have co-authored a guide to how the company is navigating the path towards type certification for its seven-seater eVTOL aircraft.
Airlines
European Airlines Plead For Covid Relief and Lasting Reforms
Leaders of Airlines For Europe member carriers called for Covid-19 travel restrictions to lift from July 1 and an end to punitive ATC charges.
FutureFlight
Archer Unveils Maker eVTOL Technology Demonstrator
Archer says it expects to start test flights in the fourth quarter of 2021 with the two-seat Maker technology demonstrator, which will pave the way for the eVTOL aircraft it plans to bring to market in 2024.
FutureFlight
Lilium Selects Honeywell To Supply Fly-by-wire Flight Controls and Avionics for eVTOL
The German startup agreed the partnership with Honeywell after a two-year competitive bidding process and the U.S. company is making an undisclosed direct investment in Lilium.
FutureFlight
Electric Aircraft Developers Now Have Battery Options With Epic Family Rollout
Electric Power Systems has launched its new Epic family of batteries which can support a wide array of all-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
FutureFlight
Electra Confirms Design for Hybrid-Electric STOL Regional Aircraft
The U.S. company now intends to show the design for a seven-passenger short takeoff and landing aircraft to prospective customers as it prepares to bring it to market by 2026.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Indians and Brazilians Identified as Most Likely Advanced Air Mobility Early Adopters
McKinsey surveyed 4,800 consumers in the U.S., China, Brazil, India, Germany, and Poland about their attitudes toward riding in eVTOL aircraft and receiving cargo deliveries that way.
FutureFlight
Alaskan Regional Airline Signs Launch Commitment for Airflow's Hybrid-electric STOL Aircraft
Ravn Alaska has signed a letter of intent under which it would add 50 of Airflow's new eSTOL aircraft to its Anchorage-based fleet from 2025.
FutureFlight
JetPack Commits to Running Speeder Utility VTOL Vehicle on "Fuel from Air"
JetPack Aviation is partnering with Prometheus Fuels to make fuel produced by reclaiming atmospheric carbon available for its Speeder VTOL aircraft and also its "personal turbine" JetPacks.
FutureFlight
Eve Lands Another eVTOL Launch Order, This Time from Helicopter Operator Helisul
Brazilian helicopter operator Helisul Aviation has made a commitment to buy up to 50 of the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft being developed by Embraer subsidiary Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions.
Aircraft
Airship Maker: Passengers Will Choose Comfort over Speed
Hybrid Air Vehicles has unveiled cabin concepts for its Airlander 10 hybrid-electric airship carrying up to 100 passengers on regional airline routes.
Aircraft
Eve Lands 50-ship eVTOL Order from Helisul
Brazilian helicopter operator Helisul Aviation today placed an order for up to 50 of the four-passenger eVTOLs from Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions.
FutureFlight
Rolls-Royce Steps Up Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Tests
The aircraft engine manufacturer says it is now testing what it claims to be the most powerful hybrid-electric propulsion system built to date of aerospace applications..
FutureFlight
EHang Conducts EH216 Trial Flights in Japan with Official Support
China's EHang this week conducted demonstration flights with its two-seat EH216 eVTOL aircraft during an event at the Kasaoka Air Station in Okayama prefecture in the west of Japan.
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
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
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
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 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.
