Archer Aviation, a manufacturer of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Midnight, completed a flight test program milestone as the company’s Midnight aircraft took flight.
“This next phase of Archer’s flight test program is only possible because of the four years of flight testing we’ve done. Midnight is building on the successes of its predecessor aircraft and represents another significant step forward in Archer’s path to commercialization,” said Archer’s founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. “The next year and a half will be focused on continuing to rapidly advance our flight test program and Archer’s electric air taxi operations as we prepare to bring Midnight to market in 2025.”
“Having taken seven full-size eVTOL aircraft from design to flight test during my career in the eVTOL industry, today’s milestone with Midnight marks the most significant flight to date bringing Archer and the eVTOL industry another step closer to bringing a scalable and commercially viable aircraft to market,” said Archer COO Tom Muniz.
As Archer’s flight test program continues to advance, the company stated that Midnight’s flight envelope is expected to progress rapidly from hover to full wing-borne transition flight in the coming months, paving the way for the company to begin “for credit” testing of its Midnight aircraft with the FAA next year as it works towards entry into service in 2025.
Simultaneous with the Midnight flight test program, Archer said that it intends to continue Maker’s flight test program as well as flying simulated commercial routes to continue to advance the company’s operational readiness.
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.
Universal Hydrogen joins with JBT AeroTech to power airport ground support equipment.
Universal Hydrogen, a hydrogen fuel services provider that uses modular hydrogen capsule technology, and JBT AeroTech, a global provider of airport ground support equipment (GSE), have a joint development agreement for the design and development of an H2AmpCart. The H2AmpCart will be a hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile battery charger for existing electrified airport GSE.
JBT AeroTech has been a pioneer and leader in the development of electric GSE. However, this shift toward electric GSE is hindered by infrastructure challenges, including the substantial investment required from airports for electrical charging stations, the limitations of airports grid power, and the scarcity of renewable electricity on the grid. The H2AmpCart addresses these challenges and seamlessly integrates into existing airport operations for an immediate and cost-effective transition to true zero emissions.
Universal Hydrogen and JBT AeroTech intend to move at pace to develop and showcase the first demonstrator unit utilizing Ballard’s FCmove-HD+TM hydrogen fuel cell by the end of 2023, with production beginning in 2024, and entry into service by the end of 2024.
"Our modular hydrogen fueling solution, requiring no new hydrogen infrastructure to be built, will ensure that the H2AmpCartTM is a turnkey electric GSE charging solution for airlines and airports that cannot afford to wait years or have the investment capability for clean electric charging infrastructure to de deployed," said Arnaud Namer, Chief Operating Officer of Universal Hydrogen. “Combined with Universal Hydrogen’s conversion kit and hydrogen fuel services offering for regional airplanes, this will make the regional aviation ecosystem the most climate-friendly mode of powered transport on Earth.”
“For over a decade, JBT AeroTech has been the partner of choice for airports and airlines seeking to be at the forefront of sustainable ground support solutions. With this partnership, we’re excited to quickly advance our customers’ electrification journeys with the power of hydrogen,” said Chuck Durst, President of GSE at JBT AeroTech. “Collaborating with Universal Hydrogen to rapidly bring this modular hydrogen fuel-cell powered charger to market enables us to help our customers accelerate their conversion to electric power GSE.”