Archer has announced it has begun the next phase of Midnight’s flight test program showcasing piloted flight. This phase builds on years of autonomous flight testing across its various aircraft platforms, which validated its proprietary 12 tilt-6 VTOL configuration. Midnight cruised at speeds up to 125 mph and reached a maximum altitude of over 1,500 feet above ground level during the flight.
The flight featured a conventional take-off and landing, demonstrating Midnight’s landing gear that is capable of performing both vertical and conventional take-off and landing operations.
During this phase of Midnight’s flight test program, Archer’s test pilots will continue to test key elements of the aircraft, such as flight control responsiveness, stability and aerodynamic and control model validation.
Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer, said “Put simply, the performance of Midnight continues to demonstrate the strengths of our design decisions for this aircraft platform. Midnight’s VTOL and CTOL capabilities are a strong differentiator for us as they are critical for delivering an aircraft that can integrate into a wide range of operational scenarios while also providing enhanced safety.”
The piloted flight was flown by Archer Chief Test Pilot Jeff Greenwood, providing insight while focusing on cockpit design.
Greenwood said, “Flying Midnight felt just like flying the simulator—everything responded exactly as we trained for, which is exactly what you hope for during a test flight. That level of consistency is no surprise. It’s a testament to the engineering and operational excellence of our team, whose attention to detail and dedication to safety made this milestone possible.”
