Deal Reached Under ‘Launch Edition’ Program

Archer Aviation, maker of eVTOL air taxi aircraft, announced a deal with Ethiopian Airlines under which it will become the second customer planning to deploy the Midnight aircraft under Archer’s ‘Launch Edition’ program.

Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s largest air carrier and serves more than 140 international destinations on five continents, and with this agreement will work together with Archer to bring an all-electric air taxi network to the region using the Midnight aircraft.

The ‘Launch Edition’ program involves a team of Archer pilots, technicians, and engineers to support the initial deployment. Archer will also provide backend software infrastructure as well as front-end booking applications to power urban air mobility operations during the program.

Although the initial objective is the develop an air taxi network, the two companies are also analyzing the potential of using Midnight for a variety of applications including eco-tourism.

The companies formalized the agreement in a signing ceremony in Addis Ababa, and they will continue working with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority to begin operations with Midnight in an efficient and safe manner.

Alastair Curtis, General Manager of Africa for Archer said, "This partnership with Ethiopian Airlines represents a transformative step in bringing sustainable and efficient air mobility solutions to Ethiopia and the broader African market. At Archer, we’re committed to working with forward-thinking partners to unlock the potential of eVTOL technology. This is just the beginning of a new era of aviation for Africa."

Nathan Stickney, Commercial Attaché for the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa said, “U.S. aviation companies have time and again highlighted the best of American quality and innovation, and we’re excited at the opportunity for Archer to make an impact in the region while making America more prosperous through its new agreement with Ethiopian Airlines.”

FMI:  www.archer.com/ , www.ethiopianairlines.com/us