Archer Announces Three Conforming, Piloted Aircraft Are Now Under Construction; Aircraft Will Be Used In FAA “For Credit” Testing

• Key components and systems of the three piloted Midnight aircraft will conform to the intended type design for FAA certification
• Component manufacturing is well underway, and final assembly is on track to begin in the coming weeks at the Company’s manufacturing facility in San Jose, California
• This initial fleet of piloted aircraft will be used in “for credit” testing with the FAA as the Company progresses toward its goal of commercialization in 2025

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) announced today that they are well underway in constructing the Company’s first three conforming Midnight aircraft, with the first aircraft set to begin final assembly in the coming weeks. Archer’s initial fleet of piloted aircraft will begin piloted flight testing later this year, and subsequently be used in “for credit” flight testing with the FAA as the company progresses towards commercialization.

This latest milestone is another demonstration of Archer's ongoing progress as the Company continues to execute against its commercialization plans. These aircraft will have components and systems that conform to the intended type design, enabling “for credit” flight testing with the FAA after the completion of the Company’s flight testing phase, which is planned to start later this year. Final assembly will be done at Archer’s manufacturing facility in San Jose, California.

“The key to achieving FAA certification is flying a conforming aircraft. I believe we are positioned to be the first in the sector to do so.” said Archer Founder & CEO Adam Goldstein. “From day one, Archer’s strategy has been to build an aircraft that is certifiable and manufacturable at scale. This focus is what has allowed us to move quicker and more efficiently than any other company in the industry over the last few years.”

Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-20 minute flights that are safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.

About Archer

Archer is designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for use in urban air mobility networks. Archer’s mission is to unlock the skies, freeing everyone to reimagine how they move and spend time. Archer's team is based in Santa Clara, CA.

To learn more, visit www.archer.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward looking statements regarding Archer’s business plans and expectations, including statements regarding its aircraft performance and the timing of Archer’s development, commercialization, and certification of its eVTOL aircraft. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed in Archer’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, available at www.sec.gov. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that Archer believes to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. Archer undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.

Source: Archer
Text: ArcherIR