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.

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Honeywell Aerospace has extended its partnership to support Vertical Aerospace in the development of the VX4 eVTOL aircraft. In an agreement announced on May 8, the companies said they will work together to certify critical systems, including the aircraft management system based on the Anthem flight deck, and the flight controls, which include Honeywell’s fly-by-wire technology.
As part of the enhanced collaboration, Honeywell will also provide the inceptor hand controllers that will be used by pilots to maneuver the VX4 by providing inputs to the flight control computer. According to the company, the inceptor will give pilots more precise and intuitive control.
“We designed our inceptor to be the lightest and most compact in the industry, and we could not be happier that Vertical is the launch customer for the new technology,” said Rich DeGraff, president of control systems at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “Our inceptor will pair seamlessly with the Honeywell compact fly-by-wire system already selected by Vertical, and we’re excited to work together to integrate these advanced flight technologies into the VX4.”
Vertical and Honeywell have committed to certifying the systems to the 10-9 safety standards required for type certification by both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and EASA. This holds new eVTOL aircraft to the same standard as commercial airliners, equating to a failure rate of one in a billion flight hours.
Under its revised Flightpath 2030 strategy, UK-based Vertical is now aiming to certify the four-passenger VX4 model in 2028 and deliver at least 150 aircraft to customers by 2030. Honeywell has been contributing to the program for the past six years and has been an investor in Vertical since 2021.
“As we accelerate toward global certification and scalable production, Honeywell’s aerospace expertise and proven track record in flight-critical systems make it the ideal partner for this next phase,” said Vertical’s CEO, Stuart Simpson. “By integrating production-ready technologies, we’re helping build an aircraft that meets the highest safety standards in aviation, solidifying its certifiability and exportability across global markets.”
Earlier this month, Vertical announced the appointment of three new board members to bolster its expertise in corporate finance. The new directors include James Keith Brown, who is a senior advisor at Thrive Capital; Kris Haber, CEO and founder of the Vega Partners investment firm; and Carsten Stendevad, chief investment officer for sustainable investments with Bridgewater Associates.

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