eVTOLs/Urban Mobility Aviation News

Archer Midnight Completes California City-to-City Flight

The piloted round trip connected Salinas and Monterey as Archer prepares for planned eIPP operations.

Monday, August 03, 2026 at 09:38 AM ET

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Edited By: Zach Vasile

[Credit: Archer]

Key Takeaways:

Archer Aviation's all-electric Midnight aircraft completed a piloted round trip between Salinas and Monterey airports on July 30, demonstrating a nine-minute flight time per leg.
This successful demonstration showcases the eVTOL's ability to significantly reduce travel time compared to traditional ground transport.
The flights are a crucial step in Archer's preparations for operations under the White House's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) later this year.
Archer is also leveraging these missions to prepare for its role as the designated air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

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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.

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.

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