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

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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 full transition flight on June 8, shifting from vertical takeoff to wing-borne flight at speeds over 100 mph.
This milestone is significant as the Midnight is among the largest eVTOLs to achieve transition, crucial for its capability to carry commercially viable passenger payloads.
The Midnight is currently in the final phase of FAA type certification, with piloted flight testing expected to commence later this year.
The aircraft aims to replace lengthy car commutes with 10-20 minute air taxi trips, designed to be safe, sustainable, low-noise, and cost-competitive.

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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.