The proposed airworthiness criteria for Archer's Midnight aircraft have been published in the Federal Register by the FAA. Archer is just the second company to achieve this significant milestone on the path to commercialising urban air mobility in the US.

The Midnight is designed to be safe, sustainable and quiet, and with its expected payload of over 1,000 pounds can carry four passengers plus a pilot. It has a range of up to 100 miles and can travel at speeds of up to 150 mph, but is optimised for back-to-back short distance trips of around 20 miles, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in between trips. Archer is working to certify the Midnight with the FAA in late 2024 and will then use it as part of its UAM network, which it plans to launch in 2025.

“From day one Archer's strategy has always been about finding the most efficient path to commercialising eVTOL aircraft,” says founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “Today's publication of our airworthiness criteria in the Federal Register is further validation of our strategy and our leadership position in the market.”

As part of the FAA's type certification process for special class aircraft, the proposed airworthiness criteria (ie the certification requirements for the particular aircraft) must be published in the Federal Register. Following the comment period, the FAA will finalise the airworthiness criteria for Archer's powered-lift Midnight aircraft.

“Synchronising the design of our Midnight aircraft with our certification efforts has long been a cornerstone of our commercialisation strategy,” says head of certification Eric Wright. “This 'design for certification' approach has enabled our timeline by allowing us to prioritise decisions that optimise our aircraft for FAA compliance. The FAA has been an invaluable partner in this journey, as evidenced by the recent publication of our airworthiness criteria to the Federal Register. This is yet another important step forward as we continue to build on our growing momentum towards type certification and the launch of commercial business operations.”