Archer Aviation plans to bring a network of piloted electric air taxis to New York City, changing how visitors and residents move throughout the area. The company will partner with United Airlines to help travelers travel from Manhattan to local airports in just 5–15 minutes, significantly reducing travel times compared to ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight piloted electric air taxi will make that possible, with room for four passengers and greatly reduced noise and emissions compared to helicopters.
How Archer Aviation’s service will work
Archer’s concept calls for travelers to book flights as a complement to airline travel, for a significant reduction in door-to-door travel times. To achieve that goal, the company aims to utilize existing regional aviation properties and establish vertiports linked to airports and helipads. The Midnight piloted electric air taxi uses 12 total engines and propellers for redundancy, with a focus on safety similar to commercial aircraft. The company continues to work with the FAA to achieve Type Certification for the Midnight, and when that happens, will smoothly bring the taxis into service.
Adam Goldstein, CEO and Founder of Archer, said, “The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually. But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes. With its existing helicopter infrastructure, regulatory support and strong demand, I believe New York could be one of the first markets for air taxis in the United States.”
“At United, our focus is on driving innovation, reimagining the future of air travel and enhancing the customer experience every step of the journey,” said Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures. “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure – such as real estate development, air space management, and safety and security protocols – necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers.”
“The Port Authority is excited to help explore the possibility of a new wave of air mobility in the New York and New Jersey region,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We look forward to continued collaboration with Archer, other OEMs, operators and partners across the ecosystem to responsibly explore how this new technology can be safely integrated into the region’s broader transportation network and ensure our airports are ready to support safe and efficient operations.”
“New York City is ushering in an exciting new chapter of safe, quiet, and sustainable air transportation, pioneering the integration of eVTOL aircraft into our skies,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “We look forward to partnering with Archer and other leading eVTOL companies to propel this industry forward, facilitating the transition to eVTOLs and last-mile Blue Highways delivery – cleaning up our skies, unclogging our roadways, and improving the lives of New Yorkers in the process.”
