Page 8 - AAA NOV / DEC 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

aviation. Xwing has been flying which plans to enter the market
autonomous aircraft since 2020,
using the Superpilot software that
enables safe, uncrewed opera-
tions, supervised from the ground. the Middle East and Indian eVTOL S-A2, at the Farnborough Airshow
Midnight Plans
Archer will also commence oper-
ations with piloted aircraft but is
collaborating with Boeing and its
eVTOL subsidiary Wisk Aero for
integration of Wisk’s autonomous
technology in future variants of
Archer’s aircraft. The two eVTOL
companies, it may be recalled,
were initially involved in a legal
battle, with Wisk taking Archer to
court in 2021 after accusing it of
stealing trade secrets and infring- aircraft for AAM services in mul- Wisk Aero plans to conduct
ing on its patents. Archer counter
sued Wisk in 2021 and Boeing in
2022.
Even as it firms up funding, Archer
plans to begin production at its
Georgia facility in early 2025 with
the goal to ramp to a rate of two
aircraft per month by the end
of the year. Following the FAA
finalizing Midnight’s airworthiness
criteria in May, Archer is near-
ing completion of Phase 3 of the
regulatory agency’s phase type
certification process while con-
tinuing to rapidly advance through
Phase 4, the final phase to secure
type certification. The company,
8 | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2024
Motor Group’s subsidiary, plans to
in 2026 with the launch of an air launch commercial flights in 2028.
taxi network in New York and Los The company display its full-scale
Angeles, is also keen on capturing eVTOL vehicle product concept,
market. earlier this year and has signed
agreements with a number of sup-
Earlier this year, the company
established a consortium led pliers. “Rather than being first
by the Abu Dhabi Investment to market, we’re building the
Office (ADIO) to launch com- right product and right market,
mercial air taxi services in the first. We are really trying to
UAE as early as Q4 2025. In build our vehicle to meet the
September, it signed a wide-rang- safety standards of commercial
ing deal with Soracle, the joint aviation. If we don’t do that, I
venture of Japan Airlines and don’t believe public acceptance
Sumitomo Corporation, that will be there,” says Jaiwon Shin,
includes a planned purchase CEO of Supernal.
of up to US$500M of Midnight
tiple Japanese cities. Archer passenger flights of its autono-
and Soracle will work with the mous eVTOl later this decade
Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau for and has announced a partner-
certification and other approvals. ship designed to have Australian
flights in place for the Brisbane
In April this year, Archer Aviation 2032 Olympic and Paralympic
founder and CEO Adam Goldstein Games. Brian Yutko, the compa-
told Reuters that the company ny’s chief executive, said at the
plans to begin trials of its Midnight Farnborough Airshow that the
aircraft in India in 2025. In 2023, firm’s latest model, which has a
Archer signed an agreement with range of 90 miles, will fly in 2024.
InterGlobe Enterprises, which “We are right now testing and
backs IndiGo, to launch the air producing the elements of this
taxis in many major cities in India. aircraft that we will hope to fly
around the end of this year,” he
A Different Approach added. The company is working
with US regulators on certification
Not all eVTOl companies are rush-
ing to market. Supernal, Hyundai for the autonomous vehicle. 
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