Flight testingArcher Aviation
Midnight
12 electric props: 6 front tilting (lift + cruise), 6 rear lift-only, stopped in cruise; 4 passengers + pilot
Archer Aviation's piloted, all-electric air taxi: a pilot plus four passengers and 12 electric engines in Archer's 12-tilt-6 layout (six tilting propellers at the front of the wing, six fixed lift propellers at the back). It can take off and land vertically or conventionally from a runway. Archer's target specifications are a max range of 100 miles and a max speed of 150 mph, and the aircraft is designed for back-to-back trips of around 20 miles. Archer targets a payload of about 1,000 lb and about 10 minutes of charging between 20-mile trips. The FAA lists a maximum gross takeoff weight of 6,500 lb. FAA type certification is in its fourth and final phase (Archer closed Phase 3 in April 2026) and has not been awarded. In the UAE, Midnight is in the GCAA's Restricted Type Certification programme. Archer is targeting first passenger flights in 2026 (UAE and the US eIPP). Cruise speed, battery capacity, flight time and price are not published.
- Range
- Up to 100 mi
(varies with speed, reserves, and how the pilot flies the mission).
- Payload
- About 1,000 lb (target)
- Cruise
- Not published
(chosen by the pilot, and traded against range and endurance).
- Top speed
- 150 mph
- Flight time
- Not published
(varies with the speed the pilot selects and the reserves kept for the mission).
- Price
- Not published
- Empty weight
- Not published
- MTOW
- 6,500 lb
- Ceiling
- Not published
- Seats
- 4 + pilot
- Battery / fuel
- Not published
- Size
- Not published
- Charge
- About 10 min (target)
- First flight
- October 2023
- Entry into service
- First passenger flights targeted 2026 (UAE / US eIPP)
Full figures
- Seats
- 1 pilot + 4 passengers
- Top speed
- Up to 150 mph (target)
- Range
- Up to 100 mi max range (target)
- Payload
- About 1,000 lb, pilot + 4 passengers (Archer target)
- MTOW
- 6,500 lb / 2,948 kg (max gross takeoff weight, FAA)
- Battery
- Onboard batteries (capacity not published)
- Charge
- About 10 min between 20-mile trips (Archer target)
- Propulsion
- 12 electric engines (12-tilt-6): 6 tilting propellers on the front of the wing, 6 fixed lift propellers on the back
- Takeoff and landing
- Vertical (VTOL) or conventional from a runway (CTOL)
- Designed for
- Back-to-back trips of around 20 miles
- Partners
- United Airlines (commercial partner and investor); Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Games
For
- Pilot + 4 passengers, up to 100 mi / 150 mph (Archer target specs)
- First to close Phase 3 of 4 in FAA type certification (Archer)
Against
- Price not published
- Type certificate not yet issued