Archer Midnight makes longest flight so far

Photocredit: Archer Aviation.

Archer Aviation has revealed its Midnight aircraft has completed its longest piloted flight to date, flying about 55 miles in 31 minutes at speeds exceeding 126 mph. The flight took place at Archer’s flight test facility in Salinas, California.

The aircraft recently completed a number of flights flying a variety of patterns, reaching a top speed of nearly 150mph. The most recent flight achieves another milestone in Archer’s programme as the company advances toward FAA certification in the US and planned near-term commercial operation in the UAE.

The most recent flight was conducted as a conventional take-off and landing mission. Four of Archer’s test pilots are now regularly conducting test flights in the aircraft, continuing the program’s progress and growing maturity.

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

Mike Leskinen, executive vice president and chief financial officer CFO of United Airlines, who witnessed the flight, said: “I’ve been a long time supporter of bringing sustainable forms of aviation to market. Congratulations to the Archer team on achieving this milestone flight — I was impressed by how quiet the aircraft was.”

According to the pilot who piloted the Midnight aircraft: “Throughout the  30-minute flight, the aircraft performed consistently, with predictable handling. It was a beautiful day to be behind the controls.”

Midnight flight test pilots will continue to expand speed and duration and test mission profiles that map to early commercial operations. This latest milestone follows a series of key developments in Archer’s commercialisation roadmap, including the continuation of its manufacturing ramp throughout the US and the activation of its Launch Edition programme in the UAE.

Archer Aviation started developing the aircraft in 2018. In 2022, a full size concept aircraft was built and has since then the design has been flying regularly, completing much of the test programme.

In March 2024, car maker Stellantis purchased 8.3m shares via the open market. Later that year the car manufacturer made a further investment of $55 million in Archer Aviation following the successful flight in June 2024.