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Dubai: In a bid to take to the skies ahead of the United States, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer Archer Aviation hopes to launch its Midnight aircraft in the UAE before securing final certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A top official from the company confirmed this development, highlighting the fast-tracked approval process in the emirates.
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has confirmed to Gulf News its commitment to expediting the approval process for Archer’s commercial launch in Abu Dhabi later this year. The GCAA explained that it is using the FAA framework as a foundation to create a “nationally specific set of regulations tailored to the UAE’s domestic operational requirements.”
While the GCAA clarified that the final approvals are not entirely independent of the FAA and depend on the FAA’s progress (“maturity”), significant steps have already been taken. Recently, Archer secured design approvals for the UAE’s first hybrid heliport, and the company has also appointed key C-suite executives to spearhead its operations in the emirates.
Private aircraft typically require a Type Certificate, usually issued by the FAA, EASA, or Transport Canada, to operate in the UAE. However, Archer’s strategic partnership with the GCAA aims to accelerate its entry into the UAE market.
Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer of Archer Aviation, told Gulf News that while Archer’s Midnight eVTOL is in the final stages of certification with the FAA in the US, the UAE launch is not contingent on these approvals.
“More importantly, we are working with the GCAA here in the UAE. Our goal is to work with them to launch here (in the emirates) commercially this year, first in the world,” Goel stated. He emphasized that Archer is working closely with the GCAA to meet all necessary safety and regulatory standards for the planned commercial launch.
