Archer Aviation's Midnight aircraft has successfully completed its longest piloted flight to date, flying approximately 55 miles in 31 minutes at speeds exceeding 126 mph. The flight took place at Archer's flight test facility in Salinas, California, in front of United Airlines' chief financial officer, Mike Leskinen, who led United Airlines' early investment in Archer.

Test flights in the preceding week reached speeds of nearly 150 mph over a variety of patterns. This latest achievement marks another milestone in Archer's envelope expansion programme as the company advances toward FAA certification in the US and near-term commercialisation in the UAE.

The flight was conducted as a conventional takeoff and landing mission. Four of Archer's test pilots are now regularly conducting test flights in the Midnight, underscoring the programme's continued progress and maturity.

Adam Goldstein, Archer's founder and CEO, remarks: “I was proud to be on the tarmac with the team for this flight. Crossing the 50-mile mark at speed is another clear step toward commercialisation that shows the maturity of our programme.”

Mike Leskinen, executive vice president and CFO of United, adds: “I've been a longtime supporter of bringing sustainable forms of aviation to market. Congratulations to the Archer team on achieving this milestone flight; I was impressed by how quiet the aircraft was.”

The experimental test pilot for this flight shares: “Throughout the 30-minute flight, the aircraft performed consistently, with predictable handling. It was a beautiful day to be behind the controls.”

Midnight flight test pilots will continue to expand speed and duration, and test mission profiles that map to early commercial operations. This milestone follows a series of key developments in Archer's commercialisation roadmap, including the continuation of its manufacturing ramp throughout the US and the activation of its Launch Edition programme in the UAE.