Archer’s unmanned prototype completed its first transition flight on 8 June. Image: Archer
Archer has revealed that it has completed a transition flight with its unmanned Midnight prototype. During the sortie, which took place last week at the company’s Salinas facility in California, the aircraft reached what the company called wing-borne flight transition and speeds slightly over 100 mph. Although the flight has been called the first wing-borne transition, the video of the flight released by the company shows that while the leading edge tilting nacelles are in the fully forward cruise flight configuration, the trailing edge lift rotors are still operating rather than stopped in the low drag cruise configuration.
Archer said that the flight also makes the company the first to complete wing-borne transitions with two aircraft designs, its Maker concept aircraft and now the unmanned Midnight prototype.
“Transitioning two generations of full-scale eVTOL aircraft in less than two years is another remarkable achievement for Archer’s team. This 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, speaking about the flight.
The company said that its programme would move on to fly simulated commercial routes to demonstrate the aircraft’s operational readiness, executing high-rate flight operations, testing additional flight manoeuvres that will be used in commercial settings, and continuing to expand its speed and endurance flight envelope. In addition, the company also plans to begin flights with a conforming piloted prototype “later this year”.
