Archer Aviation’s Midnight Air Taxi Enters New Testing Phase
Archer Aviation, a leading innovator in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, has achieved a significant milestone with its five-seater air taxi, Midnight. In a recent test, the air taxi demonstrated its ability to take off using conventional runway methods, as opposed to the expected vertical rotor take-off.
Footage released by the company captures test pilot Jeff Greenwood at the helm of the Midnight prototype, as it accelerates down the runway. The objective of this test was to evaluate the durability of the landing gear and the air taxi’s conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) capabilities.
Successful First Piloted Flight
The Midnight air taxi features a unique hybrid design, equipped with 12 rotors. The rear section contains six twin-bladed rotors fixed in an upward position, while the front section is equipped with six five-bladed rotors capable of tilting for forward flight. This configuration allows the vehicle to perform both vertical and horizontal flight.
Introduced in 2022, the Midnight model aims to achieve speeds of approximately 241 km/h and a range of around 161 km. Test flights initiated in 2023 achieved a successful transition from vertical take-off to forward flight for the first time in July. This recent flight marks the first instance of active pilot control. During the CTOL test, Midnight reached nearly 200 km/h and ascended to an altitude exceeding 1,500 feet (about 460 meters).
Test pilot Jeff Greenwood, an aerospace expert with prior experience at Bell Textron and 13 years of service in the US Marine Corps, remarked that piloting the Midnight felt almost identical to simulations.
Preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
“Midnight’s VTOL and CTOL capabilities set us apart by enabling integration into diverse operational scenarios, while also enhancing safety,” commented Archer’s CEO, Goldstein.
These tests, conducted as part of certification and commercialization efforts in the United States and the United Arab Emirates, are critical steps towards Archer’s vision of incorporating air taxis into urban transportation in the near future. The company’s next-generation aircraft is slated to serve as the official air taxi at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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