Former FAA administrator and current Archer executive Billy Nolen is now chief regulatory affairs officer leading Archer Aviation's government affairs efforts. Nolan joined the company last year as chief safety officer. Melissa McCaffrey has joined the team to lead its efforts at the US state and local levels. Lynda Tran, former senior advisor to the US Secretary of Transportation and director of public engagement at the US Department of Transportation, has also joined in an advisory capacity.

Archer's new Washington DC office is located at 500 L'Enfant Plaza near FAA and DOT headquarters, and will include a display area where Archer will showcase its electric aviation technology to visiting policymakers and world leaders.

"This strategic move is part of our proactive approach to progressing through the regulatory process here in the US as efficiently as possible, so that we can help ensure our country continues to define the future of global aviation," says Nolen. "Showcasing our leading eVTOL aircraft technologies to leaders in the nation's capital will help bring to life our vision to transform cities by reducing traffic with safe, quiet electric air taxis."

Prior to joining Archer, McCaffrey led Overair's government affairs division where she headed its government relations and policy strategy, advocating at all levels of government for key positions on policies and regulations in support of the advanced air mobility industry. Before that, she spent over 10 years at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association where she held positions of increasing responsibility, her last role focusing on managing its government affairs policy and advocacy. McCaffrey holds a BS in air traffic management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has been a licensed pilot for over 20 years.

Archer continues to tap Invariant, led by Heather Podesta, and JTR Strategies, led by Jenny Rosenberg, to lobby on key federal issues relating to commercialising the AAM industry. Invariant is the nation's largest woman-owned government relations company, headquartered in Washington DC. Prior to founding JTR Strategies, Rosenberg served for more than a decade in senior level policy and public affairs positions, including at the DOT as the acting assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs and as an assistant administrator at the FAA. She is an alumnus of the Senate Commerce and Appropriations Committees and the House Oversight Committee.

Archer continues to advance through the US regulatory process for certifying its Midnight aircraft, reinforcing its progress on the path toward commercial flight operations.