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

Flight Pro International has introduced a pair of new features—Trip Planner and Trip Notifications—to its Flight Pro Connect trip management software that give aircraft operators a wider array of data and more focused awareness of changing circumstances that could affect flights.
The Trip Planner platform for schedulers, dispatchers, and pilots now delivers searchable information from more than 25,000 airports across over 190 countries. The Houston-based flight-planning group said the data is continuously monitored by selected local partners across what it calls its Special Services Network.
Information available on either desktop or mobile devices covers airport operating hours and requirements, as well as all relevant regulations for each country, such as landing permits and immigration formalities. Users can also quickly access local FBO and ground handling options, as well as weather and notams.
According to Roberto Cormack, FPI’s executive v-p and chief information officer, Trip Planner now shows precise maps and photos to help operators locate FBOs and other facilities. FPI has developed a list of approved vendors for the operators it supports through its Special Services Network.&nbsp;
<h2>More Focused Alerts</h2>
Clients can adjust the settings for Flight Pro Connect’s Trip Notifications feature so they receive actionable alerts in a format that suits their operations and role. The platform can support flight schedulers who need granular information, as well as senior executives who need only a high-level view of trip status. It covers factors such as airports, landing and overflight permits, slots, handling services, parking arrangements, fuel requests, and bookings for hotels and catering.
“The Trip Planner provides a constant stream of refreshed and accurate data while Trip Notifications communicates trip management updates customized to the individual,” Cormack explained. “This ensures that users always have the right information at the right time delivered to the right person, empowering smarter, faster decisions when every moment counts.”
FPI was formed in 2020 by a group of flight planning specialists who had previously been with Air Routing International before that company was shut down during the Covid pandemic by its parent company, Collins Aerospace, when it <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-04-01/flight-pro-emerges-ashes-air-routing-intl">exited the trip support business</a>.

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