Every Bulletin story and press release covering Archer Midnight, newest first.
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Autonomous systems are being developed to support Apache crews with reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions without direct pilot control.
The hub will support advanced commercial and defence engineering programmes, strengthening collaboration with Anduril UK and GKN on British Army and Ministry of Defence initiatives.
An initial 50-unit order from the UAE for the Omen platform has created early demand for Archer’s electric propulsion system beyond its Midnight aircraft.
The eVTOL aircraft covered its longest distance yet as Archer’s testing progresses towards certification and planned commercial operations in the United States and UAE.
The sortie served as a data-gathering milestone to progress airworthiness approvals in both UAE and U.S. regulatory environments.
The company's hybrid configuration showed reliable CTOL performance during its latest crewed flight while pre-certification data gathering continues.
Most recently, the Archer flight test team has focused on five key testing areas: Transition flights, high-rate operations, advancing landing profiles, enhancing acoustic measurement and optimising control laws.
Stellantis will fund up to $370m of the anticipated manufacturing labour costs necessary to support Archer’s planned manufacturing ramp to 650 aircraft annually.
Once complete, this facility will be nearly 400,000 sq.ft and will support planned production of up to 650 aircraft annually, which would make it one of the largest factories by volume in the aviation industry.
Archer remains on track to complete construction of its high-volume manufacturing facility in Georgia later this year. This first phase is a facility designed to support production of up to 650 aircraft annually.
Three 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.
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.
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.
Component manufacturing is under way for the conforming Midnight aircraft. Archer is targeting the completion of final assembly in Q4 2023 and to begin piloted flight testing in early 2024.
Archer brings its team of eVTOL, electric powertrain and certification experts while Stellantis will contribute advanced manufacturing technology and expertise, experienced personnel and capital to the partnership.
The news is coming thick and fast at Archer, with an agreement to locate its factory in Georgia and to equip its Midnight eVTOL with Garmin's G3000 integrated flight deck.
More than 50 per cent of Archer's suppliers for the Midnight eVTOL, based on cost, have been selected. The firm expects to certify the aircraft in 2024 and to produce 250 units in 2025.
