Midnight Aircraft Completes 55 Mile Flight at Speeds Exceeding 125 MPH

Archer Aviation’s ‘Midnight’ electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has completed a 55-mile, 31-minute flight, marking its longest piloted flight to date. This, along with recent speed advancements, is a testament to the company’s envelope expansion efforts ahead of FAA certification.

The flight was conducted from Archer’s test site in Salinas, California, with United Airlines executives on hand to witness the milestone. The test did not involve any crazy maneuvers; Midnight simply took off, flew the mission, and landed conventionally. However, Archer has been playing the long game to expand Midnight’s flight envelope, with test flights in the prior week reaching nearly 150 miles per hour. The stated goal is not world records, but a predictable aircraft that regulators will actually sign off on.

“I was proud to be on the tarmac with the team for this flight,” said Archer CEO Adam Goldstein. “Crossing the 50-mile mark at speed is another clear step toward commercialization that shows the maturity of our program.”

Four company test pilots are now flying Midnight on a regular basis, a point Archer sees as proof that the design is beyond the fragile prototype stage. The test pilot in command on this mission described the aircraft’s handling as stable and consistent across the half-hour trip.

Midnight is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers for roughly 60 miles at speeds up to 150 miles per hour, which places it firmly in the “short hop” segment of urban air mobility. The company has raised over $1.1 billion since its 2020 founding, majorly assisted by United Airlines… and the carrier seems pleased with its investment so far.

“I’ve been a longtime supporter of bringing sustainable forms of aviation to market,” commented Mike Leskinen, Executive Vice President and CFO of United. “Congratulations to the Archer team on achieving this milestone flight—I was impressed by how quiet the aircraft was.”

While this milestone changes little for would-be passengers waiting for an electric air taxi ride, it does give Archer another data point to show lawmakers, regulators, and investors. And, at this stage, even small steps are crucial.

FMI: www.archer.com