The Airframer Bulletin

Airframer · Archer Maker · Archer Aviation

Every Bulletin story and press release covering Airframer · Archer Maker · Archer Aviation, newest first.

17 items

2023

2 November

Midnight takes flight in hover ahead of wing-borne transition

Midnight's flight envelope should progress from hover to full wing-borne transition flight in the coming months, ahead of “for credit” testing of its Midnight aircraft with the FAA next year, and entry into service in 2025.

17 August

Midnight has received an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate, and is expected to begin flight test and become the first eVTOL aircraft to be delivered to a customer as part of Archer’s contracts with the Department of Defense (DoD).

Wisk, Archer and Boeing settle litigation and chart the future

Archer reports that it is on track to deliver the Midnight aircraft to the U.S. Air Force later this year or early next year. Archer believes this would make Midnight the first ever eVTOL aircraft delivered to a customer.

2022

1 December

ReleaseArcher completes Maker's first full transition flight

17 November

ReleaseArcher unveils its production Aircraft, Midnight™

28 July

ReleaseArcher successfully completes second phase of Maker flight testing, moves on to third phase towards full transition

29 June

Flight testing during the most recent phase has centered around various hover scenarios to analyze the TPS in the air.

Archer expects tilt transition by year end

As testing progresses, the flight envelope will be expanded with increasing climb and descent rates, and airspeeds. Archer plans to continue to conduct multiple flight tests weekly in the second half of this year.

2021

20 December

ReleaseArcher takes to the skies with first hover flight of Maker aircraft

8 December

The Special Airworthiness Certificate clears Archer to begin hover flight testing of its Maker aircraft.

Maker demonstrator eVTOL is cleared for take-off

The FAA's inspection of Archer's Maker aircraft was held at the company's California flight test facility, where Maker is undergoing final preparations for its first flight, as well as extensive safety testing.

10 November

ReleaseAhead of first hover flight, Maker aircraft receives FAA CoA and relocates from development lab to flight test facility

16 September

Archer is moving towards FAA Type Certification for the Maker with G-1 Certification Basis.

Archer takes first step towards certification

The Maker eVTOL has been approved G-1 Certification Basis by the FAA, meaning that Archer is able to focus its work towards full FAA Type Certification for the aircraft and is now working towards the G-2 Issue Paper.

9 September

Archer will flight test the Maker eVTOL in collaboration with the USAF and AFWERX Agility Prime.

Archer to put the Maker through its paces for USAF

Archer will provide the USAF with flight testing data to further its understanding of the Maker's capabilities and development. Using the data the USAF will look at the potential to purchase and field it in the next three years.

6 July

ReleaseArcher expands core leadership team, hiring Jeff Greenwood as Chief Flight Test Pilot and Dave Dennison as Vice President of Engineering

10 June

ReleaseArcher unveils eVTOL aircraft

3 June