Archer receives first payment for US Air Force eVTOL pilot trainer

The USAF has provided Archer Aviation with its first instalment of nearly US$1 million on their recently announced contracts valued at up to $142 million.

The deal covers the delivery of a simulator that the USAF and Archer will jointly use for pilot training, flight control assessment and enhancing air force personnel understanding of Archer's eVTOL aircraft platform for civilian use, as well as its potential development for USAF purposes.

The simulator will also be deployed to key public and industry events to increase public awareness and engagement with eVTOL technology.

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The company will supply up to six Midnight eVTOL aircraft to the USAF under the same contract. 

Several more of Archer’s deliverables are already underway with the USAF as part of the contract, which include the sharing of wind tunnel testing reports, project-specific certification plans and Subject Specific Certification Plans.

Archer Aviation has been collaborating with the US DoD since 2021 through the USAF’s AFWERX programme to help assess the potentials of the vertical flight market and eVTOL technologies for the US services. The project has goals of bringing new technologies to the USAF by partnering with small businesses and start ups.

Archer’s Midnight aircraft’s target payload is approximately 1,000lbs (453kg) and has been designed for short-distance trips with the capability to carry four passengers and a pilot. 

The manufacturer revealed its eVTOL platform last November, completed the manufacturing of the first aircraft recently and it is working to get the platform FAA certified by 2024.