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

Eve Air Mobility has flown a full-scale engineering prototype of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft. The uncrewed hover flight happened on Friday morning at the Brazilian company’s test facility at Gavião Peixoto in São Paulo state.
Tests flights will continue throughout 2026, with Eve gradually expanding the flight envelope to full wingborne operations. By the end of next year, the company expects to build six fully conforming prototypes as it works towards type certification of the Eve-100 model with Brazil’s ANAC agency in 2027.
“We exercised our control laws, verified the integration of the eight lifters and assessed energy management, the aircraft’s response and noise footprint,” said Luiz Valentini, Eve’s chief technology officer. “The prototype behaved as predicted in our models. With these data points, we will expand the envelope and progress toward transition to wingborne flight in a disciplined manner, ramping up to hundreds of flights throughout 2026 and building the knowledge required for type certification.”
The initial engineering prototype does not feature design changes to the wing and propellers that were announced in June at the Paris Air Show. In early December, the Embraer-owned company confirmed the selection of an electric propulsion system developed by U.S. eVTOL aircraft developer <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-12-03/betas-electric-motors-will-power-eves-evtol-aircraft">Beta Technologies</a>. It had been evaluating the pusher motors since the summer.
Other key suppliers for the Eve-100 include battery supplier BAE Systems, Aciturri (wings), Liebherr (actuators, Intergalactic (thermal management), Garmin (avionics) and Thales and Honeywell (sensors). Diehl Aviation and Recaro have developed the cabin interior.
On December 9, Eve completed a share flotation on the Brazilian stock exchange and secured $40 million in funding from the country’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development. The company completed a $377 million <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2022-05-10/embraer-backed-eve-boosts-evtol-plans-377-million-initial-public-offering">initial public offering</a> on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2022.
Revo, a spin off from Omni Helicopters International, is one of the main early customers for the Eve-100 having signed a contract for up to 50 aircraft in June. The company is now conducting <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-11-26/omni-air-taxi-trials-could-prove-evtol-business-case">trial air taxi operations</a>, using existing rotorcraft, in and around&nbsp;São Paulo. Eve holds letters of intent for 2,800 aircraft from multiple operators around the world.

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