VIVAERO

Archer and United announce New York air taxi collaboration

eVTOL developer Archer has unveiled plans for a proposed New York City air taxi network in partnership with United Airlines, aiming to transform how New York residents and visitors move around the region. 

Archer’s goal is to enable passengers to travel from Manhattan to nearby airports in just 5-15 minutes using its eVTOL platform Midnight, dramatically reducing travel times compared to traditional ground transportation and helping avoid the city's notorious traffic. 

Midnight is Archer’s piloted electric air taxi designed to carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and emissions than a traditional helicopter. It is built with redundant systems across the aircraft—including 12 total engines and propellers—allowing Archer to target similar levels of safety as commercial airliners. Archer is building Midnight in America at manufacturing facilities in San Jose, CA and Covington, GA. 

Archer will look to utilise existing aviation properties around the region, with a goal of establishing vertiports associated with airports and helipads in the area. 

And it is continuing to work with the FAA to seek Type Certification of its Midnight aircraft. Once Type Certification is received, Archer and its operating partners plan to safely and seamlessly integrate Midnight into service, beginning with major airports like those in the New York City area. Archer received its FAA Part 135 Air Carrier and Operator Certificate in June 2024. 

Under this concept of operations, passengers would book Archer flights as a complement to traditional airline travel, reducing door-to-door travel times. United previously placed an order for a fleet of Archer’s Midnight aircraft and has remained a long-time investor in the company. 

Archer is working closely with existing infrastructure partners, including Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation and Skyports/GroupeADP, as well as new partners Modern Aviation and Air Pegasus, to develop and electrify aviation assets in this proposed network. 

Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer said: “The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually. But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes. With its existing helicopter infrastructure, regulatory support and strong demand, I believe New York could be one of the first markets for air taxis in the United States.” 

“At United, our focus is on driving innovation, reimagining the future of air travel and enhancing the customer experience every step of the journey,” said Andrew Chang, head of United Airlines Ventures. “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimise the infrastructure – such as real estate development, air space management, and safety and security protocols – necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers.”

www.archer.com