Archer’s Midnight Completes Piloted City-to-City Flights in California
Archer Aviation’s all-electric Midnight aircraft completed a piloted roundtrip flight between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport on July 30. The company conducted the flights in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration as it prepares for operations later this year under the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).
Each leg of the journey took approximately nine minutes. The same trip by car typically requires more than 35 minutes. The flights mark a step toward launching Midnight operations under the eIPP.
“This roundtrip journey is exactly the kind of route we plan to fly with Midnight under the eIPP and in LA during the Olympic Games,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer. “This mission provides a template for us to replicate with our partners across Texas, Florida and New York as we get ready for eIPP operations later this year.”
Archer is working with the FAA as well as federal, state, and municipal partners to develop the procedures, infrastructure, and local operational capabilities required for future air taxi services. These efforts also support preparations in Los Angeles, where Archer will serve as the Official Air Taxi Provider for the LA28 Olympic Games.
Midnight is designed for short intercity and urban hops intended to reduce travel times compared with ground transportation on congested routes. Archer plans to begin eIPP operations later this year and continue expanding readiness across its partner states.
