Archer Aviation has completed a piloted roundtrip journey with its all-electric Midnight aircraft between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport in California, marking a key milestone toward launching operations under the White House’s eIPP program later this year.
Executed on July 30th in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the inter-city flight demonstrated the aircraft’s primary function of providing short, time-saving aerial transport. Each leg of the trip took roughly nine minutes, offering a significant time reduction compared to the approximately 35 minutes or more required by car.
Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer, said, “This roundtrip journey is exactly the kind of route we plan to fly with Midnight under the eIPP and in LA during the Olympic Games. This mission provides a template for us to replicate with our partners across Texas, Florida and New York as we get ready for eIPP operations later this year.”
As part of its broader eIPP initiative, Archer is working alongside the FAA, as well as federal, state, and local partners, to establish the procedures, infrastructure, and regional operational capabilities required for commercial air taxi services. This framework also underpins operational preparations in Los Angeles, where Archer will serve as the Official Air Taxi Provider for the LA28 Olympic Games.
The Midnight aircraft is designed to convert typical 60-to-90-minute ground commutes into quiet, zero-emission flights, significantly reducing travel times and easing urban traffic congestion.
