AEG and Archer Aviation have announced a brand-new collaboration to develop downtown Los Angeles’ first vertiport at L.A. LIVE, AEG’s sports and entertainment district in downtown Los Angeles.
The agreement, which was brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, will see Archer become the exclusive air taxi partner of L.A. LIVE, which sits adjacent to The Los Angeles Convention Center and AEG-owned, Crypto.com Arena.
Once operational, the planned site will add a key downtown location to Archer’s previously announced Los Angeles network, giving locals, artists and visitors the ability to travel to and from the district in Archer’s Midnight aircraft.
Designed to provide local, point-to-point urban air taxi travel; Archer’s LA network will aim to allow people to move across the city in as little as 10 to 20 minutes aboard its Midnight aircraft, reducing commute times from over an hour on the ground to shorter, all-electric flights.
Previously announced plans for the network include the use of SoFi Stadium, USC, and Hollywood Burbank, with Archer’s recently acquired Hawthorne Airport as its planned central operational hub.
Archer’s Founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, said:Working with AEG on an iconic project like this vertiport at L.A. LIVE gives us the opportunity to continue building the infrastructure needed for Southern California to lead in the next era of all-electric flight.
Initial feasibility studies for the L.A. LIVE site have now been concluded, including land-use and airspace reviews, power availability and community impact. The next phase, which includes a review of of both the operational approach and guest experience, is now underway, with partners working toward establishing the site as Los Angeles’ first downtown vertiport.
The site is planned to be built with BETA Technologies’ electric aviation chargers as part of the companies’ recently announced ACES consortium, which aims to build the standardised charging foundation required to scale air taxi operations in and around major metropolitan areas.
This new partnership support’s Archer’s ongoing preparations in Los Angeles as the Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Games and Team USA. Additionally, with the DTLA Zone hosting 18 sports across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the project positions L.A. LIVE and downtown LA as a showcase for urban air mobility innovation ahead of the Games.
