Archer's Big Move Toward Air Taxi Services

Archer Aviation received FAA certification to launch its pilot training academy. This certification, referred to as Part 141, is granted to a flight school by the FAA, signifying that it is a formally recognized and regulated institution for pilot training.

With this certificate, Archer can now train and qualify pilots as part of its newly launched training academy, with plans to build a pipeline of pilots in preparation for its planned commercial air taxis services with its Midnight aircraft.

Archer has now received the third certificate required by the FAA for it to launch air taxi operations when Midnight receives its Type Certification. It previously received its Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA in June of 2024 and prior to that, in February of 2024, its Part 145 certification. Part 142 is the fourth and final certificate Archer will be pursuing—for which the application has already begun.

The FAA granted Archer its Part 141 certificate during a ceremony at Archer’s flight test facility in Salinas, California. At the ceremony, Archer’s Chief Operating Officer of UAM, Tom Anderson, and Chief People Officer, Tosha Perkins, were joined by Thom Holden, Manager of the FAA’s San Jose Flight Standards District Office and David Pease, an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector.

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.