Sure, Real Estate in LA is Expensive…but How About Airport LA Real Estate? 

Archer Aviation announced the completion of phase one in its acquisition process, putting them on track to have their own playground in Hawthorne Airport of California.

They are going for the master lease from the City of Hawthorne along with the associated subleases, which will grant control of the real estate of the airport complex. The deal started early in November, and will (hopefully) serve as the primary hub for Archer’s Los Angeles air taxi system. They call Hawthorne a “profitable enterprise”, stressing the fact they believe it has "significant additional upside that has yet to be realized.” They plan to acquire the FBO and passenger terminal in 2026 as part of phase 2 of the transaction. Once complete, that will grant full control. 

The strip is located in a pretty good spot, at least, with 80 acres and 190,000 square feet of termina & building facilities a stone’s throw from LAX. They have a point, but one shudders to imagine the ludicrous costs that result from “LA Real Estate” and “Airport Purchase” when those two phrases come together. The area will be home to the LA28 Olympic games, so there is a bit of a timer on how quickly they need to get commercial service up and running. Until then, at least, Hawthorne is a fine base to test their future eVTOl and “next generation AI-powered aviation technologies.”

Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “This is an important milestone as we look to build out the future of air taxis right here in LA. We are helping our great cities rethink and redefine transportation as we prepare for the next phase of modernization and growth in our country.”

FMI: www.archer.com