- Archer is the second company to achieve this significant milestone, further solidifying its standing as a leader in the eVTOL aircraft industry
- Midnight is designed to be safe, sustainable, quiet, carry four passengers plus a pilot (with an expected payload of over 1,000 pounds) and is optimized for back-to-back 20-mile trips, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in between
- Archer is working to certify Midnight with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in late-2024 and will then use it as part of its urban air mobility (UAM) network, which Archer plans to launch in 2025
December 20, 2022, Santa Clara, CA - Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) today announced that the proposed Airworthiness Criteria for its Midnight aircraft have been published in the Federal Register by the FAA, a significant milestone on its path to commercializing urban air mobility in the U.S.
Midnight is designed to be safe, sustainable, quiet and, with its expected payload of over 1,000 pounds, can carry four passengers plus a pilot. Midnight has a range of up to 100 miles and can travel at speeds of up to 150 mph, but is optimized for back-to-back short distance trips of around 20-miles, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in between trips. Archer is working to certify Midnight with the FAA in late 2024 and will then use it as part of its UAM network, which it plans to launch in 2025.
“From day one Archer’s strategy has always been about finding the most efficient path to commercializing eVTOL aircraft,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO. “Today’s publication of our Airworthiness Criteria in the Federal Register is further validation of our strategy and our leadership position in the market.”
As part of the FAA’s Type Certification process for special class aircraft, the Airworthiness Criteria (i.e., the certification requirements for the particular aircraft) must be published in the Federal Register. Following the comment period, the FAA will finalize the Airworthiness Criteria for Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
“Synchronizing the design of our Midnight aircraft with our certification efforts has long been a cornerstone of our commercialization strategy,” said Eric Wright, Head of Certification at Archer. “This ‘design for certification’ approach has enabled our timeline by allowing us to prioritize decisions that optimize our aircraft for FAA compliance. The FAA has been an invaluable partner in this journey, as evidenced by the recent publication of our airworthiness criteria to the Federal Register. This is yet another important step forward as we continue to build on our growing momentum towards Type Certification and the launch of commercial business operations.”
About Archer
Archer is designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for use in urban air mobility networks. Archer’s mission is to unlock the skies, freeing everyone to reimagine how they move and spend time. Archer's team is based in Santa Clara, CA. To learn more, visit www.archer.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward looking statements regarding Archer’s future business plans and product roadmaps, including statements regarding the development, commercialization, and timelines of its aircraft certification and UAM network buildout. These forward looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" in Archer’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022, and other documents filed by Archer from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. In addition, please note that any forward looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that Archer believes to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. Archer undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.
Media Contact:
Louise Bristow
Source: Archer
Text: ArcherIR
