Charles Alcock

Charles Alcock is a senior editor with AIN Publications, having returned to the company in 2019 to launch FutureFlight.aero. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. In his new UK-based role, he focuses on covering new aerospace technologies and 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.

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FutureFlight Weekly News Roundup

FutureFlight.aero's Weekly Advanced Air Mobility News Roundup

Daher, Safran, and Airbus achieve first flight with EcoPulse technology demonstrator; NASA and Afwerx jointly develop advanced air mobility operations center; Flyvbird plans air taxi flights from Dutch airport; Helibravo and Bluenest plan Portuguese vertiport network; and Doroni's personal eVTOL gets experimental flight clearance.

EcoPulse hybrid-electric technology demonstrator

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Air New Zealand Will Operate Beta's Alia Electric Aircraft from 2026

The airline has chosen the Alia as the first electric aircraft to be deployed as part of its Mission NextGen decarbonization program, which could see larger models introduced from 2030.

Air New Zealand will make the conventional takeoff and landing version of Beta Technologies' Alia vehicle its first electric aircraft, with plans to use one of them for trial commercial cargo flights for the country's postal service. The agreement with Beta could result in the airline buying another 22 aircraft under options and rights covered in an agreement announced on December 5.

Beta's Alia aircraft in Air New Zealand livery

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Design Organization Approval for Evolito Clears Path to Electric Propulsion Type Certification

The company believes it is the first design organization system developer to receive approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Evolito is about to start the type certification process for its axial-flux electric propulsion systems after securing design organization approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The company, which was spun off from automotive group YASA in 2021, says it is working with three or four electric aircraft developers and supplying individual components such as motors to others.

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Moya Aero's Autonomous eVTOL Logistics Aircraft Makes First Test Flight

The company says it now holds letters of intent from prospective customers covering 100 of the high-capacity drones that could be used for cargo flights or crop-spraying.

The Brazilian start-up has begun the flight test program for its drone, using a 70-percent-scale technology demonstrator. The aircraft is expected to have a payload of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) and a range of 300 kilometers (190 miles). The latest prospective customer is 7Reis Farm in Mato Grosso state, which plans to use it to spray soya bean crops.

Moya Aero's eVTOL drone technology demonstrator

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Crisalion Bets Its FlyFree Propulsion Concept Will Make eVTOL Air Services More Viable

The Spanish start-up says not being first to market will prove an advantage for second-wave advanced air mobility pioneers who will have greater regulatory certainty.

Crisalion is using the FlyFree propulsion and stability technology as the basis for what it views as a more suitable architecture for its five-passenger eVTOL aircraft. The Spain-based company is preparing to launch a Series B funding round to support its efforts to complete EASA type certification by 2030.

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Flexjet and Eve Simulation Exercise Role-plays How eVTOLs Will Be Part of Private Aviation

Flexjet plans to add up to 200 of Eve's four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to its business aviation service network on both sides of the Atlantic.

Operating from Flexjet's Tactical Control Centre at the London-area Farnborough Airport, the company joined colleagues from Eve Air Mobility for a four-day simulation of what urban air mobility operations would look like. The teams used Flexjet's 11-strong helicopter fleet in place of the in-development, four-passenger eVTOL aircraft Eve aims to certify in late 2026.

Flexjet Sikorsky S-76 helicopter over central London

News

FutureFlight Weekly News Roundup

FutureFlight.aero's Weekly Advanced Air Mobility News Roundup

Rolls-Royce to divest from electric propulsion; Eve rolls out eVTOL aircraft plans in Saudi Arabia and Korea; Volatus and Lyte team on green fuel supplies; HevenDrones launches hydrogen-powered UAVs; and Brazilian airline Azul works with Surf Air on electric Caravan aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft will carry four passengers.

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Bristow Places Deposits for Early Delivery of Electra's eSTOL Aircraft

The helicopter operator, which is active in offshore oil and gas support, expects to introduce the nine-passenger model to its fleet in 2028.

Bristow Group is set to be among the first operators of Electra.aero's nine-passenger hybrid-electric STOL aircraft, and will deploy it on routes of between 50 and 500 miles. Electra says 30 prospective customers have placed more than 1,700 preorders, but this week it collected its first cash deposits.

Bristow plans to operate Electra's eSTOL aircraft

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Oregon Explores Using Jump's eVTOL Emergency-response Aircraft To Save Lives in Rural Communities

The western U.S. state's department of aviation wants to ensure an emergency-response time of less than eight minutes.

Under a memorandum of understanding, Oregon's aviation officials have indicated they might need as many as 126 of the single-pilot JA1 Pulse eVTOL aircraft to provide improved emergency-response services across the state's large and challenging terrain. Emergency-response professionals will need to be able to fly the aircraft themselves and then help patients on the ground.

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Odys Unveils Laila UAV as Prelude to Hybrid-Electric VTOL Regional Airliner

A full-scale prototype of the UAV has already flown, with the program attracting support from U.S. Department of Defense contracts.

With a multi-role UAV called Laila in the works, Odys Aviation is expanding the scope of its flap-based thrust vectoring and blown technology to transform air services. Following Laila to market is the company's nine-passenger hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft, which Odys says has attracted interest from 13 airlines looking to decarbonize flights and reshape the operating economics for multiple routes.