Archer Aviation, an expert in electric vertical take-off and landing(eVTOL) aircraft, announced that its Midnight aircraft successfully achieved transition flight, reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph, in a controlled test.
How does a transition flight work?
A transition flight, typical of eVTOLs, involves vertical takeoff of the aircraft like a helicopter. The aircraft then tilts its fuselage or adjusts the angle of attack of its wings to accelerate forward from vertical thrust to horizontal thrust, using the aerodynamic lift generated by the wings to maintain flight.
Finally, the aircraft decelerates and lands again in an upright position. This maneuver is critical to the commercial viability of passenger transport because it allows eVTOLs to operate in tight urban spaces and without the need for large runways.
And Archer Aviation completes this maneuver with a v eVTOL aircraft for the second time, reaffirming its position in the industry. Weighing approximately 6500 pounds, Midnight is one of the largest eVTOL aircraft to achieve this, enabling a breakthrough in commercial passenger transportation.
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein noted that the transition of two generations of eVTOL aircraft in less than two years is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating the efficiency of its market plan. Midnight is the seventh large-scale eVTOL aircraft built and successfully flown by Archer CTO Tom Muniz and chief engineer Dr. Geoff Bower. Maker, Archer’s first eVTOL aircraft, achieved its transition in November 2022 and remains active in the test program.
Midnight’s flight test program
Dr. Geoff Bower praised the technical advancement of completing the transition with Midnight, noting that it is one of the largest eVTOL aircraft and among the first designed specifically for an air cab business. This achievement is a testament to the Archer team’s work in developing commercially viable aircraft.
Midnight’s flight test program will continue with flights on simulated commercial routes to demonstrate its operational readiness. High-speed maneuvering tests and other operations that will be used in commercial environments will be conducted, thus extending the aircraft’s speed and endurance envelope.
Archer is moving steadily toward certification, having received FAA Part 135 and Part 145 certificates, and being one of two companies with final airworthiness criteria for an eVTOL issued by the FAA. an eVTOL issued by the FAA. . Midnight is in the final phase of the Type Certification program, and piloted flight testing will begin later this year.
The transition flight of the Midnight eVTOL aircraft. Source: Archer
Archer aims to change the model of urban travel, replacing 60- to 90-minute car journeys with 10- to 20-minute electric air cab flights that are safe, sustainable, quiet and cost-competitive. Midnight, a four-passenger piloted aircraft, is designed for fast consecutive flights with minimal loading times.
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Source and photo: Archer
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