Archer Receives FAA Certification to Begin Operating Commercial Airline
Archer Aviation announced that its subsidiary, Archer Air, has received its Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA. This certification allows Archer to begin commercial operations, refining its systems before launching its electric aircraft, Midnight, into service for partners like United Airlines. Archer is one of only two air taxi manufacturers to be awarded this certification. The company is also developing a mobile booking app, vertiport technology, and proprietary operations software to enhance passenger experience. This milestone is part of Archer's progress towards launching a safe, sustainable, and low-noise air taxi service in the U.S.
- Archer received the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA, enabling commercial operations.
- Archer is one of only two air taxi manufacturers to obtain this certification.
- Archer is developing a mobile booking app and vertiport technology integrations.
- Archer has already received the Part 145 certificate for specialized aircraft repair services.
- United Airlines supports Archer's progress and looks forward to future collaborations.
- Archer aims to reduce urban commute times significantly with its electric air taxi service.
- The commercial use of Midnight is pending Type Certification from the FAA.
- The certification process involved extensive documentation and rigorous FAA observation, indicating a high barrier to entry.
Insights
The receipt of the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA is a significant milestone for Archer Aviation, signaling progress towards commercializing their urban air mobility services. This development could positively impact the company's stock price in the short term due to increased investor confidence. Financially, this certification positions Archer well to start generating revenue by using conventional aircraft to refine operations ahead of the eVTOL launch. This incremental step is critical in reducing risk and ensuring the company's long-term financial stability.
Investors should note that Archer has one of the two Part 135 certificates globally, which provides a unique competitive advantage. However, the true financial impact hinges on Archer’s ability to receive the Type Certification for Midnight and to scale operations effectively. The competitive landscape remains tight and any delays could affect timelines and costs, potentially impacting stock performance.
The Part 135 certification is a key regulatory milestone, demonstrating that Archer has established the necessary safety and operational protocols to commence commercial operations. This certification is not easily obtained and requires rigorous adherence to FAA standards, suggesting a high level of operational maturity. For stakeholders, this indicates that Archer is on a solid regulatory path, which is essential for the credibility and sustainability of new aerospace ventures.
The mention of Archer’s collaboration with United Airlines is noteworthy. It implies strong industry partnerships, which can accelerate market acceptance and operational readiness. Yet, while the certification is a important step, the ultimate success hinges on the performance and certification of the Midnight aircraft, a process that involves further regulatory challenges and technological hurdles.
From a market perspective, Archer’s achievement of the Part 135 certification enhances its credibility and positions it as a frontrunner in the emerging eVTOL market. This milestone could attract more institutional investors and strategic partnerships, boosting Archer’s market visibility and investor sentiment. The company's vision of replacing lengthy car commutes with efficient air taxi services aligns with growing urban mobility trends and could capture significant market share if effectively executed.
However, potential investors should be mindful of the broader industry challenges, including regulatory hurdles, public acceptance and the need for substantial capital investments. While Archer's certification is promising, the market is still in its nascent stage and the path to profitability is uncertain.
- Today Archer announced that it has received its Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA
- Archer is one of two air taxi manufacturers in the world to have announced receipt of a Part 135 certification from the FAA
- Archer plans to use conventional aircraft now to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching Midnight into service when it receives Midnight’s Type Certification
- Archer will leverage its mobile booking application, vertiport technology integrations, and proprietary operations software platform all currently under development to deliver exceptional experiences and journeys for passengers
The FAA presenting Archer’s Airline Team and representatives from United with Archer’s Part 135 Certificate. (Photo: Business Wire)
In addition to its Part 135 certificate, Archer previously announced it has received its Part 145 certificate from the FAA allowing it to perform specialized aircraft repair services. This means Archer has now received the two key operational certificates required from the FAA for it to be in a position to begin its air taxi operations when Midnight receives its Type Certification. The FAA also recently issued the final airworthiness criteria for the Midnight aircraft. The completion of the Part 135 certification process involved five rigorous stages, which entailed the submission of extensive documentation of operational manuals and procedures, as well as Archer’s pilots needing to demonstrate proficiency with those manuals and procedures under FAA observation.
"We are honored to receive the Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA, which is another important stepping stone on the way to commencing commercial air taxi operations with our Midnight aircraft," said Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer. "This milestone reflects our team's unwavering dedication to safety and operational excellence as we stand up one of the world’s first electric air taxi services for communities across the
"The pace of progress and innovation that Archer has achieved over the last few years is nothing short of impressive and today marks another key milestone in their journey to bring safe, sustainable, and low noise air taxi services to market," said Mike Leskinen, United’s Chief Financial Officer. "United Airlines extends our congratulations to Archer’s team on receiving their Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate. Together, we look forward to shaping the future of air transportation and delivering unparalleled flying experiences to United passengers."
“We would like to thank the FAA for their ongoing collaboration with Archer and congratulate the Archer Air team on achieving this important milestone for the company,” said Tom Anderson, Archer Air’s Chief Operating Officer. “Over my career, I’ve helped lead the buildout of JetBlue and Breeze Airways and now that Archer has its Part 135 and 145 Certificates from the FAA, I’m thrilled for our incredible team to commence operations on this innovative new air taxi service soon.”
Archer’s goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10–20-minute electric air taxi 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
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, certification and commercialization 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
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Source: Archer Aviation
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