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

Overair CEO Ben Tigner remained tight-lipped about the company’s plans to bring its Butterfly eVTOL aircraft to market by 2025, during a presentation to this week’s Vertical Flight Society Forum 77 event. It has been just over three years since Uber named what was then Karem Aircraft as one of the partners in its planned Elevate urban air mobility program, but, unlike most of its publicity-hungry rivals, the company steadfastly refuses to offer any meaningful update on its all-electric aircraft.
Asked to provide more details on the Butterfly’s performance, Tigner said it will have a range of “a bit more than 100 miles,” carrying a pilot and four passengers at speeds of around 200 mph. He confirmed that Overair has flown sub-scale demonstrators of the design, which features four sets of tilting propellers. He would not say&nbsp;when a full-scale prototype will begin flight testing.
In July 2020, the company opened a 94,000-square-foot facility in Santa Ana, California. Tigner said that “manufacturing is underway” at the site and that the company has tripled the size of its team, without providing any details. 
The expansion has in part been funded by a $25 million investment in Overair&nbsp;by its South Korean partner, Hanwha Systems. Hanwha is working with local partner SK Telcom, Korea Transport Insitute, and Korea Airports Corp. to develop an urban air mobility service in the Asian country and Tigner claimed that the Butterfly is part of this plan.
Asked by FutureFlight whether any prospective operators have shown interest in the Butterfly or whether Overair plans to launch its commercial services itself, Tigner would not elaborate. “We’re in dialogue with some partners who have an interest in doing interesting things [with the aircraft],” he said, in a response that does not seem intended to inspire excitement in prospective new investors.
Overair is a spin-off from Karem Aircraft, which mainly focuses&nbsp;on military aviation projects. It was founded by aerospace pioneer Abe Karem, who initially funded the business with money raised from the sale of an earlier venture to Boeing.

Charles Alcock

Overair's Butterfly eVTOL aircraft is expected to have a range of around 100 miles, carrying a pilot and four passengers. (Image: Overair)

Overair Maintains Wall of Silence Over Plans for Butterfly eVTOL Aircraft

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