The flight test will pave the way for Archer to initiate “for credit” testing of its Midnight aircraft with the FAA in 2024 as it works towards its goal of entering into service in 2025.
Archer Aviation Inc., a prominent player in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft industry, has announced a significant milestone in its flight test program with the successful flight of its Midnight aircraft. This achievement comes after four years of intensive flight testing, including two years of full-scale testing with the Maker aircraft.
As the flight test program progresses, Midnight’s flight envelope is expected to advance rapidly, moving from hovering to full wing-borne transition flight in the coming months. This will pave the way for Archer to initiate “for credit” testing of its Midnight aircraft with the FAA in 2024 as it works towards its goal of entering into service in 2025.
Adam Goldstein, CEO, Archer said, “This next phase of Archer’s flight test program is only possible because of the four years of flight testing we’ve done. Midnight is building on the successes of its predecessor aircraft and represents another significant step forward in Archer’s path to commercialization. The next year and a half will be focused on continuing to rapidly advance our flight test program and Archer’s electric air taxi operations as we prepare to bring Midnight to market in 2025.”
In parallel with the Midnight flight test program, Archer intends to continue the Maker’s flight test program and conduct simulated commercial routes to enhance the company’s operational readiness.
“Having taken seven full-size eVTOL aircraft from design to flight test during my career in the eVTOL industry, today’s milestone with Midnight marks the most significant flight to date bringing Archer and the eVTOL industry another step closer to bringing a scalable and commercially viable aircraft to market,” said Tom Muniz, COO, Archer.
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Archer’s ultimate objective is to transform urban travel by offering short, electric air taxi flights that can replace 60- to 90-minute car commutes with estimated flight durations of 10-20 minutes. The company’s Midnight eVTOL is designed to carry four passengers and perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between each flight.
