Archer Aviation has started a special tour across three states to show people how its air taxis work. The main goal of this tour is to prove that flying in an air taxi can save a lot of time compared to driving a car on crowded roads.
The first test flight took place in California on September 4th between two towns Salinas and Hollister. The aircraft flew a 34-mile round trip at high speeds up to 125 miles per hour and completed each part of the journey in just 12 minutes. The company chief said this flight took only a small fraction of the time a regular car drive would need.
Right now, air taxi makers are working hard to start real passenger flights by the end of this year once they get final government approval. Federal safety regulators are working closely with Archer on these test flights, which are being flown with a trained pilot onboard but no passengers yet.
The test tour will visit states like California, Texas, and Florida, which are part of a special national program to test flying vehicles. Archer is also preparing for bigger events, like serving as the official air taxi company for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. To get ready, the company bought a local airport and is building special landing stations near major sports centers.
Over the coming weeks, Archer will continue its flight tests across Northern California cities including San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco. After those trials are done, the electric air taxis will head to the Los Angeles area to test routes with local authorities.