In a significant move for the future of urban transport, Archer Aviation, a pioneering air taxi developer, has acquired a strategic ground lease at a Los Angeles airport, positioning itself to tackle the city's notorious traffic congestion.
A Multi-Million Dollar Bet on Urban Air Mobility
The publicly-traded company disclosed to investors that it spent $126 million to secure the long-term ground lease at Hawthorne Municipal Airport. This location is in the heart of Los Angeles and will serve as a future base for launching its fleet of fully-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Hawthorne Mayor Alex Vargas publicly celebrated the new partnership on social media, a sentiment echoed by local residents. One resident, Danielle Marquez, responded with enthusiasm, highlighting the potential for new community revenue and reinvestment.
The Road to Certification and the 2028 Olympic Goal
It is crucial to note that Archer's journey is not yet complete. The company's primary aircraft model, the Midnight, has not yet received full certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to carry paying passengers commercially.
Archer is targeting full FAA certification for the Midnight by 2026. Should it succeed, the company plans to deploy its air taxis during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The service would ferry VIPs, fans, and staff between Olympic venues, a task for which it is ideally situated.
The SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum—two major Olympic arenas—are located just three miles from Archer's new base at Hawthorne Airport, making it a perfect operational hub.
Transforming the Los Angeles Commute
The 2028 Olympics will serve as the inaugural major test for the Midnight aircraft. A successful demonstration could pave the way for its broader adoption across Los Angeles, a city where the average daily commute is 30 minutes, with many drivers enduring over an hour on congested freeways.
Archer's ambitious goal is to replace gruelling 60 to 90-minute car journeys with swift 10 to 20-minute electric flights. The Midnight eVTOL is designed as a quiet, efficient transport solution for dense urban environments, carrying one pilot and four passengers.
In a recent earnings call, Archer's CEO and co-founder Adam Goldstein provided an optimistic update on test flights, stating that pilots have expanded speed and duration profiles to mirror real-world missions. He revealed exciting milestones, including achieving 55 miles of range, over 30 minutes of flight time, and operations at altitudes up to 10,000 feet at speeds exceeding 150 mph.
While progress is steady, the final hurdle remains. The FAA is still developing comprehensive new regulations to ensure air taxis can operate safely in crowded airspace. Archer has emphasised its close collaboration with the regulator to establish reasonable safeguards and build public trust, acknowledging that the rollout will be a gradual process, not an overnight revolution.
