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

During an industry update session at the Vertical Flight Society’s Electric VTOL Symposium last week, record numbers of attendees were briefed on NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign, which is an effort by the U.S. agency to promote public confidence and aid in the development of emerging aviation markets. Starr Ginn, national campaign lead for NASA, outlined the program’s goals and progress in the 18 months it has been running.
The program focuses mainly&nbsp;on creating what Ginn described as a “system of systems” that will enable the safe operation of AAM vehicles in the airspace as well as the integration of AAM within the operational and regulatory environments. For example, she explained that greater reliability on command and control of all vehicles in the airspace, not just unmanned ones, will be required. 
“We have these operational conversations because you can't talk about the vehicle without understanding how it's going to affect the airspace and the infrastructure,” she said. “They all are interrelated to each other.” 
The National Campaign also will be involved in the testing of AAM vehicles, including with Joby Aviation, which is its first “vehicle partner.” A prototype of the California-based company’s five-seat eVTOL model is due to start developmental testing with NASA in April.&nbsp;“That’ll be our initial kind of assessment of how we fine-tune the procedures around the performance of eVTOL, how that might change the infrastructure,” Ginn said.&nbsp;
Elroy Air joined the National Campaign on January 29 and will use its new Chaparral cargo-carrying eVTOL aircraft for flight evaluations.&nbsp;The program also has signed on a couple of other vehicle partners for information exchange work. Among them are&nbsp;Wisk, which is developing the two-seat Cora autonomous eVTOL aircraft, and Alaka'i Technologies with its Skai vehicle.
Also presenting at the industry update was Helicopter Association International president and CEO James Viola, who stated that his organization is keen on helping new and existing entrants in AAM. “HAI knows it’s coming, and we think that we’re right for helping to grow the pilots, the mechanics, the engineers, so we want to be there to help,” he said.

Charles Alcock

On January 29, Elroy Air became the latest eVTOL aircraft developer to join NASA's National Campaign to evaluate how advanced air mobility vehicles can be safely integrated into public airspace. (Photo: Elroy Air)

NASA Outlines Its National Campaign with Test Flights to Start in April

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