Archer Aviation and sports and entertainment company AEG announced Monday that they plan to develop a vertiport at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. The companies entered an exclusive multiyear partnership that would make Archer the air taxi provider for the entertainment district, which sits next to Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
“We are thrilled to pursue this endeavor with Archer to enhance the fan experience around the major sports and live-entertainment events we host,” AEG Global Partnerships President and Chief Operating Officer Nick Baker said in the companies’ announcement. “This is an ambitious project and exactly the kind of forward-thinking collaboration that blends infrastructure and technology in service of our fans, visitors, and the broader community around major sports and live-entertainment events hosted at L.A. LIVE.”
Los Angeles Network
The proposed L.A. LIVE facility would become the first announced vertiport in downtown Los Angeles and join Archer’s planned network of sites across the region. Other locations identified by the company include LAX, John Wayne Airport, SoFi Stadium, USC and Hollywood Burbank Airport. Archer plans to use Hawthorne Municipal Airport as the network’s central operating hub. The company says trips aboard its piloted, all-electric Midnight aircraft could cover some routes across the city in 10 to 20 minutes.
“We see this as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to add a flagship downtown location to our planned Los Angeles air taxi network ahead of the LA28 Games,” Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said in the announcement.
Work Underway
Archer and AEG said they have completed an initial feasibility study covering land use, airspace, electrical power availability and potential community impacts. The companies are now reviewing operational plans and the passenger experience, although they did not announce a construction or opening date. The planned facility would use BETA Technologies electric aircraft chargers.
Archer is the official air taxi provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and plans to use Midnight aircraft during the Games. The company is displaying a Midnight in Team USA livery at L.A. LIVE on Aug. 24 and 25.
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