eVTOL aircraft developer Archer is to acquire Hawthorne Municipal Airport in Los Angeles, California for US$126 million and build operational and testing facilities at the site.
The eVTOL aircraft company is one of the front-runners in the race to be the first in the so-called air-taxi market with its four-passenger, 100 mile (160km) range Midnight eVTOL. The Midnight eVTOL is designed to provide short hops across traffic-congested cities using infrastructure and routes it will develop and operate itself.
Archer committed to launching vertiports and routes for its Midnight aircraft before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles two years ago. Since then, Archer has become the LA28 Olympics’ official air taxi partner.
“Establishing our LA network ahead of the global events that are coming to the region over the next four years is a milestone that will put Midnight on display for the whole world to see,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer. “LA is known for its horrendous traffic – our goal is to offer a safer, faster and sustainable alternative travel option.”
Airport testing and operations hub
Hawthorne Airport, which is also known as Jack Northrop Field, is located on an 80-acre site less than three miles (5km) from LAX, and is the closest airport to several destinations in LA, such as the SoFi Stadium, The Forum, Intuit Dome, and Downtown LA. The airport includes around 190,000 square feet of terminal, office and hangar facilities.
Archer plans for the airport to serve as its operational hub for its planned LA air taxi network operations, including serving a key role in the LA28 Olympics Games.
It will also use the airport as a testbed for “AI-powered aviation technologies” that it is developing for air traffic and ground operations management, it said.
Archer is partnered with United Airlines, which has been an investor in the eVTOL company since 2021. Michael Leskinen, chief financial officer at United Airlines said, “Archer’s trajectory validates our conviction that eVTOLs are part of the next generation of air traffic technology that will fundamentally reshape aviation. Their vision for an AI-enabled operations platform isn’t just about eVTOLs, it’s also about leveraging cutting-edge technology to better enable moving people safely and efficiently in our most congested airspaces.
United and Archer also announced plans for an air taxi network in the New York City area earlier this year.
