Archer Aviation has announced that its Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has completed its highest altitude flight to date, reaching 7,000 feet during a test from the company’s facility in Salinas, California.
The flight formed part of Archer’s ongoing testing programme, which aims to gradually explore the aircraft’s performance parameters. Midnight is primarily designed for urban operations at altitudes between 1,500 and 4,000 feet, but the ability to operate at higher levels could support air traffic management in congested areas and allow operations in cities at greater elevation.
During the latest flight, the test pilot conducted a steady climb, maintained level flight at altitude, and covered a distance of 45 miles at speeds above 120 mph. The milestone follows a flight in August in which Midnight flew 55 miles in 31 minutes at more than 126 mph.
Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, said:I’m proud of the team for consistently proving Midnight’s performance capabilities while maintaining the highest safety standards. Our test pilots will continue to safely and methodically test Midnight’s speed, duration and mission profiles to prepare for early commercial operations.
The testing programme is intended to support Archer’s progress towards certification with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and eventual commercial operations in the United Arab Emirates.
