Archer Aviation Secures FAA Acceptance of 100% Compliance, Eyes 2026 TIA Start
FAA has granted final acceptance for 100% of Midnight’s means of compliance, clearing the way for type inspection authorization activities slated this year. Archer has built a billion-dollar order book with seven major airlines, UAE’s restricted type certificate in place and commercial eVTOL launches planned in U.S. cities.
1. FAA Certification Milestone
The FAA confirmed final acceptance of 100% of Midnight’s means of compliance, making Archer the first eVTOL firm to achieve full compliance. This clears the path to finalize certification plans and initiate type inspection authorization activities later this year.
2. Flight Test Progress
Archer has entered the piloted VTOL and transition phase after completing piloted CTOL milestones, including flights over 50 miles, 30 minutes in duration, above 10,000 feet and at speeds exceeding 150 mph. The company plans to expand its piloted fleet and flight envelope throughout 2026.
3. Commercialization and Partnerships
Archer is preparing U.S. eVTOL deployments in multiple municipalities under the EIPP and targeting public flights in the second half of the year. In the UAE, a restricted type certificate is in place to support piloted and passenger Midnight operations, and the global backlog exceeds $1 billion with partnerships including major airlines, PIF and the Serbian government.
4. Adjacent Programs and Leadership
Beyond Midnight, Archer and Anduril are developing an autonomous hybrid VTOL for defense and commercial use, while powertrain licensing deals and software partnerships with Palantir, NVIDIA and Starlink aim to strengthen its ecosystem. Leadership updates include a new President of Aircraft OEM and a chief engineer focusing on hybrid aircraft development.