Archer has been selected as the official air taxi provider for the 2028 LA Olympic and Paralympic Games. If everything falls into place (a very big “if”), the company’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft will transport VIPs, fans and stakeholders to and from key venues, while also providing support for emergency services and security, Archer wrote in a press release.
Archer is one of the more serious players in the fledgling air taxi arena, being one of just two companies along with Joby Aviation to receive the FAA’s final airworthiness criteria (but not final certification) for its Midnight aircraft. It just unveiled routes for a potential service in New York City, and previously announced proposed air taxi networks in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.
The fact that Archer had already announced plans for an LA hub probably helped its cause. Its proposed network already included key LA28 venues including the Stadium in Inglewood and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, along with the LA International Airport, Hollywood, Orange County and Santa Monica.
Midnight is a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and fewer emissions than a regular helicopter. With 12 tilting rotors plus a wing and tail, it takes off like a helicopter then transitions to an airplane-like cruise mode, with the rear rotors continuing to provide some lift. It features “redundant, fault-tolerant systems” that Archer hopes will allow it to gain FAA certification with the same safety level as commercial airliners.
It’s also received backing from major aviation players including Fiat Chrysler and United Airlines, plus fixed base operators (FBOs) like Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation. With all that, the company is possibly the best-positioned among all air taxi players to receive its FAA “type certificate” to carry passengers. However, getting that approval for an all-new aircraft is already difficult and expensive, let alone one that’s in an entirely new category.
