Archer Aviation and United Airlines will launch an air taxi service in New York City that will connect Manhattan to major airports and regional hubs with fast routes lasting between 5 and 15 minutes. Flights will be operated by the all-electric Midnight aircraft from existing helipads in New York City. The electric aircraft, controlled by a single pilot, can comfortably carry four passengers.
Image source: Archer Aviation
Passengers are expected to be able to book air taxi rides as an add-on to their airline tickets, but the cost of a Manhattan-to-airport flight has not yet been determined. By comparison, a Blade helicopter ride from Manhattan to JFK costs $265 per passenger.
There is no timeline yet for when the New York air taxi service will launch. Before it can launch, Archer needs to obtain a type certificate for its Midnight air taxi to ensure that the electric aircraft meets all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design and safety standards. The company has already received Part 135 and Part 145 certification for on-demand services and specialized repairs.
Midnight is an Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to carry a pilot and four passengers.
The maximum flight range is about 160 km, but the preferred mode of operation is flights of 30-80 km with minimal charging time between them. The maximum speed of the electric aircraft is 241 km/h.
The rotors allow Midnight to take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, and then transition into horizontal flight, like an airplane.
Archer Aviation made a splash in the spring of 2020, poaching key talent from Wisk (formerly Kitty Hawk) and the Airbus Vahana project. Wisk even filed a trade secret theft lawsuit, which was finally settled late last year.
The company currently has a $1 billion order from United Airlines and a partnership with global automaker Stellantis to mass-produce electric aircraft. Archer has begun shipping 100 of its futuristic air taxis to Japan in a deal worth $500 million.
Archer recently announced that its electric aircraft will be used commercially in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics. The company is also focusing heavily on defense, planning to build a next-generation military aircraft for Anduril Industries.
In addition to Archer Aviation, companies such as Joby Aviation, Volocopter and Beta Technologies have said they are on the cusp of launching air taxi services with an eye on further scaling the service globally. At the same time, some players have already withdrawn from the race – for example, the German company Lilium recently announced the cessation of activities of two of its subsidiaries.