Archer says its electric air taxi will carry four at 150 mph, once certified
Archer promises its United-invested Midnight will offer helicopter-like flights with far less noise, but passenger service has not started.
UpgradedPoints.com · Everything United Showed Off at Its Massive ‘Elevated’ Event in Los AngelesArcher says its all-electric Midnight aircraft will carry four passengers at up to 150 miles per hour.
The company, in which United Airlines has invested, says it is in the "final stages of certification with the FAA." Regular passenger flights have not begun. The helicopter-like aircraft was on display in Los Angeles, where Archer described its plan to let travelers skip congested city traffic in piloted, all-electric aircraft.
Midnight is what is known as an eVTOL, short for electric vertical takeoff and landing. Like a helicopter, it rises straight up, so it needs no runway.
Archer claims a key difference is noise, describing it as "dramatically lower noise than a helicopter." If certified, the short hop to the airport could one day be faster than going by car, and quieter.
Questions people ask
How is an eVTOL different from a helicopter?
Both take off vertically without a runway. The difference is propulsion: an eVTOL uses multiple electric motors and propellers instead of one large fuel-burning rotor, which makers say means less noise, less vibration, and no exhaust emissions in flight.
Will United operate these flights itself?
United is an investor and planned commercial partner, not the manufacturer. Archer is developing and certifying Midnight, while airlines like United would buy seats or capacity and connect the short flights to their airport hubs.
When could I actually ride in one?
Not yet for regular passengers. Electric air taxis still need final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, plus new takeoff and landing sites and operating rules, so commercial service is still in testing and certification.