Archer Aviation’s all-electric Midnight aircraft completed a piloted round trip between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport on July 30, according to the company. Archer said it coordinated the flights closely with the FAA.
Nine-Minute Flights
Each leg between the two California airports took about nine minutes. The company compared that time with a drive of 35 minutes or more between Salinas and Monterey.
“This roundtrip journey is exactly the kind of route we plan to fly with Midnight under the eIPP and in LA during the Olympic Games,” Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said. “This mission provides a template for us to replicate with our partners across Texas, Florida and New York as we get ready for eIPP operations later this year.”
Preparing for eIPP Operations
The company said the flight supports its preparations for operations under the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The company is working with federal, state and local governments on procedures, infrastructure and local operating capabilities for future air taxi flights.
The company is also preparing for planned operations in Los Angeles, where Archer is the designated air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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