Archer achieves flight test program milestone as Midnight aircraft takes flight

Archer Aviation Inc.’s (Santa Clara, Calif., U.S.) flight test program hit another milestone as the company’s Midnight aircraft took flight. The milestone builds on Archer’s 4 years of flight testing, including 2 years of full-scale flight testing with Maker.

“Midnight is building on the successes of its predecessor aircraft and represents another significant step forward in Archer’s path to commercialization,” Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein, says. “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.”

As Archer’s flight test program continues to advance, Midnight’s flight envelope is expected to progress rapidly from hover to full wing-borne transition flight, paving the way for the company to begin “for credit” testing of its aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Simultaneous with the Midnight flight test program, Archer intends to continue Maker’s flight test program as well as flying simulated commercial routes to continue to advance the company’s operational readiness.

Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60-90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-20 minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.

“Having taken seven full-size eVTOL [electric vertical takeoff and landing] aircraft from design to flight test during my career in the eVTOL industry, this 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,” says Archer COO Tom Muniz.

For related content, read “Archer signs contracts with U.S. Air Force for six Midnight aircraft, support operations.”