Urban Air Mobility company Archer Aviation has received a Part 135 certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), allowing it to begin operating as a commercial airline.
The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company became just the second air taxi manufacturer to receive the certification from the US regulator as it continues developing its Midnight eVTOL aircraft.
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Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, said: “We are honoured to receive the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA, which is another important stepping stone on the way to commencing commercial air taxi operations with our Midnight aircraft.”
Archer said that it will now use the certificate to begin operating conventional aircraft to inform and refine its systems and procedures ahead of the Midnight’s commercial launch in the coming years.
Archer’s method will closely follow that of Joby, the first air taxi operator to receive a Part 135 certificate in 2022, highlighting the role of the two companies as leading eVTOL manufacturers with Joby already completing exhibition flights of its aircraft.
Receipt of the Part 135 certificate continues Archer’s recent regulatory wins, which include receiving a Part 145 certificate from the FAA, approving the company for specialised aircraft repair services, and the publication of the FAA’s final airworthiness criteria for the Midnight.
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By GlobalDataUnited Airlines, one of the airline partners planning to operate air taxi services with the Midnight aircraft, congratulated Archer on its recent success.
Mike Leskinen, United’s CFO, said: “The pace of progress and innovation that Archer has achieved over the last few years is nothing short of impressive and today marks another key milestone in their journey to bring safe, sustainable, and low-noise air taxi services to market.”
As Archer, Joby and other eVTOL manufacturers edge ever closer to launching commercial operations of their next-generation aircraft, the tech has been gaining more momentum with a discussion at ILA Berlin attended by Airport Technology seeing German manufacturer Lilium describe the industry as “a $2bn affair”.
