Archer Aviation Completes 55-Mile eVTOL Flight as Stock Ranks 344th in $270M Volume

Archer Aviation (ACHR) closed August 18 with a 0.31% gain, trading on $270 million in volume, ranking 344th in market activity. The stock’s modest move followed a significant operational milestone as the company completed its longest piloted flight to date.

The Midnight aircraft, Archer’s flagship eVTOL model, flew 55 miles in 31 minutes at speeds exceeding 126 mph during a conventional takeoff and landing test in Salinas, California. The achievement, witnessed by United Airlines CFO Mike Leskinen, underscores progress in the company’s envelope expansion program ahead of FAA certification and commercialization in the UAE. Four test pilots are now regularly operating the Midnight, signaling maturation of the development process.

CEO Adam Goldstein highlighted the milestone as a “clear step toward commercialization,” while Leskinen praised the aircraft’s quiet performance. Recent tests also reached speeds nearing 150 mph, indicating ongoing technical refinement. The flight aligns with Archer’s broader roadmap, which includes scaling manufacturing in the U.S. and activating its Launch Edition program in the UAE.

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