Dive Brief:
- Archer Aviation began a series of demonstration flights on Sept. 4, which will take its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from California to Texas and Florida over the coming weeks.
- The first flight was a roundtrip between Salinas and Hollister, California, a distance of about 34 miles. The air taxi flew at speeds of up to 125 mph, reaching an altitude of 3,550 feet and completed each leg of the flight in about 12 minutes, according to a press release.
- Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, said in a statement that its aircraft flew between Salinas and Hollister “in a fraction of the time the trip would take by car.”
Dive Insight:
As air taxi developers aim to begin limited commercial flights by the end of this year, pending FAA certification, they are building out vertiports, adapting airports and installing charging stations for their electric-powered aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration is coordinating with Archer on the upcoming demonstration flights, which will be conducted with a pilot and without passengers.
The FAA identified nine leading states for its eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, including Florida and Texas. California is designated as a participating state by the FAA.
Archer was named last year as the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Southern California. The company acquired Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Los Angeles County to serve as its central operation hub for the region and is developing a vertiport in downtown Los Angeles in conjunction with AEG, the sports and entertainment company that owns and operates L.A. Live.
The next series of flights will take place in Northern California, including Monterey, San Martin, San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco. Following that, Archer said it will begin flying in the Los Angeles area, working closely with the FAA and state and local partners. Archer was unable to provide specific timing on these flights.
