Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, 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 the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

To fulfill its long-term potential, the rotorcraft industry must sustain an unrelenting focus on safety and demonstrate its commitment to the communities it serves, according to the Helicopter Association International (HAI), which on Tuesday morning opens the doors to its 2023 Heli-Expo convention. On the eve of the annual show, the industry group’s president and CEO James Viola spelled out its new strategic initiative to keep the industry thriving and relevant as the 21st century gathers pace.
“We know we must unify the industry with a new vision for vertical aviation and promote community compatibility,” Viola said during a&nbsp;press conference on Monday. “We know we must fly neighborly, and it's essential moving forward that we emphasize the need for good relations with the communities we serve and demonstrate the benefits and services we provide.”
This vision could soon manifest itself in a new name for the group, with the HAI board, consisting entirely of senior executives from helicopter operators, having embarked on a rebranding exercise. The objective centers on demonstrating HAI’s determination to be inclusive to all aspects of the burgeoning vertical flight sector now rocketing into new directions driven by new electric propulsion technology and automation. That might or might not mean retaining the word “helicopter” when HAI reinvents itself, but Viola pledged the rebranding will&nbsp;“look to the future while honoring the past.”
For now, HAI’s engagement with key stakeholders such as state and federal politicians sometimes requires a combative approach, with the association having backed lawsuits in Hawaii and New York to push back against what it views as unwarranted operational restrictions that could lead&nbsp;to a complete flight ban over Manhattan. It also opposes restrictions on avgas supplies in California and Washington.
One of the key planks of the new HAI strategy involves elevating safety culture throughout the value chain. “This is one of the toughest things to do because we still see far too many accidents and helicopter accidents always make the front page,” cautioned Viola. Working with ICAO, HAI helped&nbsp;form&nbsp;a global vertical safety team and this week is rolling out a more extensive portfolio of safety tools intended for member companies of all shapes and sizes.
Safety challenges directly tie&nbsp;to damaging dents to the helicopter industry’s balance sheets, namely insurance costs rising by double-digit amounts. “The industry accident rate is really hurting us,” Viola acknowledged. “The insurance companies put you in a high-risk pool even if you’ve never had an accident."
Also new at the HAI is a new small business advisory council working to support that demographic. One of the key challenges—access to a skilled workforce—will result from&nbsp;the pilot and mechanic shortage expected to stretch for another decade. “We need new pathways to attract and retain the best workforce, and we can’t just depend on recruiting people who are fascinated by rotary aviation,” Viola concluded. “We need to offer attractive opportunities and advanced air mobility could just be the sort of attraction we need.”
Viola said that this week’s Heli-Expo show will provide evidence of an industry fuelled by renewed optimism after a somewhat patchy recovery last year from the Covid pandemic. He predicted that new helicopter sales will sustain growth rates of around six percent the industry&nbsp;achieved in the latter months of 2022.

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