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After Abu Dhabi Aviation, Archer Aviation named Ethiopian Airlines the second customer under the Launch Edition program. A member of Star Alliance, this is the largest carrier in Africa, with an extensive global network. This new partnership could turn the Midnight aircraft into a pioneer of AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) in the wider African market.
While the UAE has confirmed its status as one of the most important and promising markets for AAM service, and other markets, such as Japan, China, and India, have also demonstrated great potential, Africa wasn’t at the forefront of AAM developments. As Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein put it, it’s still “an untapped opportunity.“
The Stellantis-backed AAM company is trying to get ahead of the game precisely by confirming Ethiopian Airlines as the second customer to deploy the Midnight eVTOL under Archer’s Launch Edition program.
Archer announced the launch of this program back in February when Abi Dhabi Aviation was officially confirmed as the first customer. In this program, the American eVTOL maker will start to deploy the Midnight aircraft to early adopter markets; in other words, these specific operators will get the actual aircraft before the full FAA certification is in place. During this time, the operators can gradually begin to integrate the air taxi into their operations and get used to all the new operational aspects involved.
It’s not just about the aircraft alone; Archer will also send an entire team of pilots, engineers, and technicians, to support these customers with initial operations.
The specific partnership with Ethiopian Airlines is even more important for the African market, where AAM development was left behind. The two will work on all the aspects of establishing a wider air taxi network, which involves cooperating closely with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA). Plus, according to Archer, the American eVTOL will also be deployed for eco-tourism service.
Archer is one of the very few eVTOL makers worldwide, and it has solid backing from an automotive giant, namely Stellantis. Their strategic partnership was initiated in 2020, and one year later, Stellantis became an official investor. The automotive group has also supported Archer directly in setting up a high-volume manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia.
This is expected to become one of the biggest eVTOL production facilities worldwide, with an unmatched output of 2,000 electric aircraft per year. In the beginning, it will aim for 650 aircraft per year and gradually grow its capacity from there.
Midnight is a four-passenger (plus the pilot) eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) designed for short flights such as urban commutes. Its main advantages are low-cost operations, zero-emission flights, low noise levels, and fast charging for efficient back-to-back trips. For now, Archer is one of the most successful and solid eVTOL makers in an emerging sector that has proven to be very challenging, and that’s largely owed to its strategic partnership with Stellantis.
