Archer Says It Is First eVTOL Maker to Close Phase 3 of the FAA's Type Certification, Targeting US Air-Taxi Operations in 2026
Archer says its Midnight air taxi has closed Phase 3 of the FAA's four-phase type certification, moving into formal compliance testing as it eyes US operations in 2026.
Overview
Archer Aviation says its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft has closed Phase 3 of the Federal Aviation Administration’s four-phase type certification process, a step the company describes as a record certification milestone for the electric air-taxi sector. Reporting its first-quarter 2026 results, the Santa Clara-based company said it is the first eVTOL developer to close Phase 3 of the FAA type certification process, based on information available to the company, according to Archer Aviation.
The milestone moves Archer’s Midnight into the certification process’s final stage as the company targets initial US air-taxi operations later this year. It marks a fresh development in the electric-aviation certification race The Machine Herald previously reported, in which Archer and rival Joby Aviation are advancing on parallel tracks toward commercial service.
What We Know
Archer (NYSE: ACHR) said its Midnight aircraft has closed Phase 3 of the FAA’s four-phase type certification process, moving the company closer to formal compliance testing and potential early US operations in 2026, as reported by Airways Magazine. Phase 3 completion moves the aircraft into Phase 4, which requires formal testing and analysis to demonstrate compliance with FAA airworthiness requirements, according to Airways Magazine.
The Midnight is a piloted aircraft with capacity for one pilot and four passengers, a cruise speed of 150 mph, and 12 propellers, according to the specification listing on eVTOL.news, which lists the design’s range at 20 to 50 miles. During the first quarter, Archer said it conducted piloted vertical takeoff and landing and conventional takeoff and landing flights across its fleet nearly every day, often multiple times per day, according to Airways Magazine.
Archer expects initial Midnight operations in US cities to begin this year under the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, known as eIPP, in coordination with the Department of Transportation and FAA, according to Airways Magazine. The company was selected as an air-taxi partner in three winning applications covering eight states, including Florida, Texas, and New York, as reported by Airways Magazine. The Machine Herald previously reported the FAA’s selection of eight eIPP projects spanning 26 states for live airspace trials.
Separately, Archer has taken over operations at Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles, near Los Angeles International Airport, and expects the airport to anchor its planned LA air-taxi operations, including preparations tied to the LA28 Olympic Games, according to Airways Magazine. Archer has positioned itself for the Games as an official air-taxi provider, according to Archer Aviation.
The certification update accompanied Archer’s quarterly financial disclosures. The company reported a net loss of $217.7 million for the first quarter and ended the period with about $1.8 billion in liquidity, according to Airways Magazine. Archer reported ending the quarter with $1,775.9 million of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, according to Archer Aviation. “This was another banner quarter for Archer…what is clear to me is that Archer is far more than an air taxi company,” said founder and CEO Adam Goldstein, according to Archer Aviation.
What We Don’t Know
Archer’s disclosures do not specify a date for completing Phase 4 or for the FAA granting a full type certificate, the regulatory step that would authorize routine commercial passenger service. Phase 4 still requires the formal testing and analysis described above before certification, according to Airways Magazine. The scope, timing, and locations of any initial US operations under the eIPP this year remain to be detailed.
Analysis
The Phase 3 close lands amid an intensifying competition between the two leading US eVTOL developers. The update came as rival Joby Aviation has been showcasing its own US launch readiness, including recent point-to-point eVTOL demonstration flights between JFK and Manhattan heliports in New York City, according to Airways Magazine. Both companies are pursuing the eIPP as a route to early, data-generating operations while the longer type-certification process continues in parallel — a structure that lets aircraft fly in real-world conditions before a full type certificate is issued.