Archer Completes Piloted, Intercity Air Taxi Prototype Flight

Company flies its Midnight prototype between Salinas and Monterey in California.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, August 04, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The view from the cockpit of Archer’s Midnight electric air taxi prototype during its round-trip journey between Salinas and Monterey, California. [Credit: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation's Midnight prototype successfully completed a piloted intercity flight in California, demonstrating progress for its air taxi development.
This flight serves as a template for Archer's upcoming activities under the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) and planned operations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
While a significant milestone, the intercity flight utilized conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) methods, and Midnight has yet to publicly demonstrate a piloted transition from vertical to forward flight, which is crucial for full eVTOL functionality and vertiport use.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Electric aircraft developer Archer Aviation provided a rare update on its flight test progress, announcing that a prototype of its Midnight air taxi completed a piloted, intercity flight in California on Thursday.

Archer said Monday that the aircraft conducted a round-trip journey between Salinas Municipal Airport (KSNS) and Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY) in “close coordination” with the FAA. The company shared a video depicting an aircraft with the tail number N703AX, which is a preproduction Midnight prototype.