Today, Archer announced it has begun the next phase of Midnight’s flight test programme showcasing piloted flight.
“This phase builds on years of safe, autonomous flight testing across its various aircraft platforms, which validated its proprietary 12 tilt-6 VTOL configuration,” said the company in a press statement. “Midnight cruised at speeds up to 125 mph and reached a maximum altitude of over 1,500 feet above ground level during the flight. The flight featured a conventional take-off and landing demonstrating the robustness of Midnight’s landing gear that is capable of performing both vertical and conventional take-off and landing operations. Through its design and certification process, Archer, government regulators and its customers, both civil and defense, have identified the importance of being able to conduct both vertical and conventional take-off and landing as part of normal operations of the aircraft as CTOL provides operational flexibility and enhanced safety.
During this phase of Midnight’s flight test programme, Archer’s test pilots will continue to test key elements of the aircraft, such as flight control responsiveness, stability and aerodynamic and control model validation in addition to gathering data to support its certification and commercialization efforts in both the U.S. and UAE.
The piloted flight was flown by Archer Chief Test Pilot Jeff Greenwood who joined the company in 2021, providing invaluable insight while focusing on cockpit design, including vendor selection for the display and other equipment.
For more information
https://news.archer.com/archer-showcases-piloted-midnight-flight-as-it-advances-to-next-phase-of-flight-test-program