Archer’s Midnight eVTOL Completes First Transition Flight

Midnight achieved speeds greater than 100 mph on the remotely controlled flight before reverting to vertical mode for landing.

Mark Phelps

Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 10:54 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

Archer's Midnight aircraft flying at 100+ mph during transition flight. [Courtesy: Archer Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL successfully completed its first transition flight on June 8, shifting from vertical takeoff to wing-borne flight at over 100 mph before landing.
The Midnight is among the largest eVTOLs to achieve this milestone, which Archer recognizes as critical for carrying commercially viable passenger payloads.
This achievement progresses Archer's FAA type certification for the Midnight, with piloted flight testing on track to begin later this year, aiming to replace long commutes with short air taxi trips.

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Archer Aviation announced Wednesday it completed the first successful transition flight of its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on June 8.

In transitioning from vertical takeoff mode to wing-borne flight, the six front-facing electric motors tilt forward as it picks up speed to power the aircraft like a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. As shown in a company video, the Midnight achieved speeds of greater than 100 mph on the remotely controlled flight. It then reverted to vertical mode for landing.