Archer launches test program for eVTOL Midnight with pilot on board
Archer's air cab is to be used at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A pilot tests the eVTOL for certification.
Midnight in flight
(Image: Archer Aviation)
The Midnight electric air cab from US company Archer Aviation has flown with a human on board for the first time. According to the company, this marks the start of a new phase in the test program. Previously, Midnight only flew unmanned. Chief pilot Jeff Greenwood climbed to an altitude of around 1500 feet (almost 460 meters) and flew at a speed of 200 km/h.
Midnight is an electrically powered aircraft for urban air mobility (UAM) that can take off and land vertically (electric vertical take-off and landing, or eVTOL for short). The aircraft has space for five occupants: a pilot and four passengers.
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The Midnight is powered by six rotors and propellers attached to the front wings. Six independent battery systems supply them with power. The propellers are tilted to enable vertical take-off and landing together with the rotors. They are then brought into the normal position for horizontal flight. In level flight, Midnight achieves a top speed of around 240 km/h.
Midnight flies like a simulator
“Flying Midnight felt exactly like flying in a simulator – everything reacted exactly as we had trained it to,” said Greenwood. “That's exactly what you hope for in a test flight.”
Greenwood's test program includes conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) to test the stability of the landing gear. Here, the landing gear is subjected to significantly greater loads than during vertical take-offs and landings. According to Archer Aviation, it is important that Midnight can take off and land both vertically and conventionally during regular operations, as this offers greater operational flexibility. In addition, the former naval aviator will test other essential elements of the aircraft in preparation for certification of Midnight in the USA and the United Arab Emirates.
Archer Aviation was founded in 2018. In 2021, the company presented the two-seater prototype Maker, which flew for the first time in the same year. The following year, Midnight was presented, which Archer intends to build with the help of the car company Stellantis – the factory was completed at the end of last year.
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Archer Aviation sees customers for Midnight in both the civilian and military sectors. The company recently announced that its air cabs will be used at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
(wpl)
