Archer's Midnight Air Taxi Sells for Nearly $600 Million

Future Flight Global (FFG) is the latest operator to agree to purchase a massive number of Midnight electric air taxis, as well as Archer’s first private aviation partner.

One of the most fascinating things about eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) is their unmatched operational flexibility. Archer’s Midnight aircraft is one of the best examples of this: while the first unit for US Air Force (USAF) operations was recently delivered as part of the AFWERX Agility Prime contract, Midnight is also preparing to provide luxury flights to some of the world’s wealthiest people, as part of Operation FFG.

While Archer’s Agility Prime contract is valued at approximately $142 million, the recent purchase agreement with FFG indicates a whopping $580 million for more than 100 units of the Midnight aircraft. This brings Archer’s current backlog to an impressive $6 billion.

The eVTOL maker will deliver 116 units to FFG after receiving $5 million in pre-delivery payments. Future customers who will enjoy flying the Midnight air taxi include luxury hotels, corporations, governments and private customers with deep pockets. In other words, the same electric aircraft that has proven to be very useful for USAF logistics will also provide a luxury flight experience to high-end customers in the commercial sector.

In addition to these on-demand flights, FFG will also be partially integrated into Archer’s planned air taxi service, in collaboration with existing and new vertiport partners. Additionally, the new air taxi service will be expanded to more global markets, from Southeast Asia to the Middle East.

FFG is a new name in the aviation world, which has recently developed over the past three years. The joint venture between FFG and Titan Aviation was launched specifically for AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations. It was a natural progression for some of Titan’s management from high-end corporate jet services to equally luxurious AAM operations based on innovative electric air taxis.

Last month, Archer also partnered with California’s largest carrier, Southwest Airlines. The operator’s 14-airport network could become a launch pad for scheduled air taxi service across California. By joining forces with the eVTOL manufacturer, Southwest has begun the complex and time-consuming strategic planning process for a future integrated network that will seamlessly combine existing operations with electric air taxi flights.

The Midnight eVTOL will be produced in Covington, Georgia, where Archer is building a high-capacity manufacturing facility. It’s expected to be completed by the end of the year, but will ramp up to its full production capacity of 2,000 aircraft per year in phases. In the meantime, the air taxi maker will also roll out dedicated battery packs at its California facility with an automotive-style production line.

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