Today's Edition
ALLAN JACOB (ABU DHABI)
Flying taxis that are set to take to Abu Dhabi's skies in 2025 have hit a speed milestone in trials, Archer Aviation, the maker of the electrical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) named Midnight said on Thursday.
The aircraft successfully completed what is known as "transition flying" at a speed of 160kmph. Midnight's manufacturer said that at 2,948kg, the aircraft is one of the largest eVTOLs, and the achievement is vital to carry passengers commercially.
So what is a transition flight? It is when an aircraft takes off vertically like a helicopter, then moves forward like an airplane, and then shifts from "thrust-borne to wing-borne flight". Tilt propellers help it surge forward before it slows and lands vertically at vertiports.
"Transitioning shows we continue to successfully execute against our plan to create the most efficient path to market with an aircraft that is designed for certification and to be manufactured efficiently at scale," said Adam Goldstein, Archer's Founder and CEO.
"Successfully completing the transition from hover to wing-borne flight with a full-scale eVTOL aircraft is a tremendous engineering feat that only a handful of companies in the world have achieved," said Dr Geoff Bower, Archer's Chief Engineer.
He said that Midnight is believed to be one of the largest eVTOL aircraft ever to achieve the transition. It is among the first that is purpose-built to carry enough passengers to operate an air taxi service like the one planned to begin in Abu Dhabi next year. The test flight programme of the aircraft will now progress to simulated commercial routes.
This will demonstrate the aircraft's operational readiness in executing high-rate flight operations, testing additional flight manoeuvres that will be used in commercial settings, along with continuing to expand its speed and endurance.
Certification is also moving smoothly with the aircraft receiving its Part 135 and Part 145 certificates from the US Federal Aviation Agency. When launched in Abu Dhabi, the Midnight air taxis are expected to reduce 60-90-minute commutes by car to just 10-20 minutes. The aircraft will have a pilot, and can carry four passengers with minimal charge time between flights.
Last month, Aletihad reported that pilots will be selected and trained by Etihad Training under an agreement with Archer, as construction on vertiports for the aircraft are already being built in the city and across the UAE. Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) serves as Archer's key partner as the emirate aims to lead the world in urban mobility.
The two sides signed an agreement in April on vertiport construction, operational enablement for air taxi operations in the UAE, and local manufacturing of the Midnight aircraft.
"Abu Dhabi is leading the way in accelerating the launch of electric air taxis globally, and ADIO is proud to partner with Archer as one of the world's most innovative companies. We are excited to support Archer toward establishing its international headquarters in Abu Dhabi and to develop a comprehensive investment framework that will accelerate its progress towards manufacturing and operating its Midnight aircraft in the UAE," said Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, during the signing ceremony in April.
