Air taxi developer Archer Aviation has received US Federal Aviation Administration approval for its pilot training academy, a milestone the company says will enable it to begin training pilots to fly its Midnight electric aircraft.
Archer said on 18 November it received certification for its academy under the FAA’s Part 141 rules, meaning the site meets the requirements for structured training programmes.
The news comes two months after Archer’s competitor Joby Aviation received a similar approval from the FAA.
“This certificate signifies that a flight school is… formally recognised and regulated by the FAA for pilot training,” California-based Archer said on 18 February. “Archer can now train and qualify pilots as part of its newly launched pilot training academy, with plans to build a pipeline of pilots in preparation for its planned commercial air taxi services.”
Archer’s four-passenger Midnight is intended to fly routes of “20-50 miles” and at speeds up to 130kt (241km/h), the company says. Archer is also developing the aircraft for defence applications.
It is now working through the expensive and difficult process of achieving a type certificate for Midnight from the FAA.
In addition to its new pilot-training approval, Archer has received from the FAA an operating certificate under Part 135 rules and a repair station approval under Part 145.
The broader electric air taxi sector has faced increased financial pressure in recent months, with development projects years behind schedule and some firms, such as Volocopter and Lilium Aerospace, running out of cash.
Archer lost $339 million in the first nine months of 2024 and plans to reveal its full-year 2024 financial results on 27 February.
The company ended September 2024 with $502 million in cash and equivalents, but in February securing a fresh $300 million in financing.
