Archer Aviation announced that it has received a $10 million pre-delivery payment from United Airlines for the purchase of 100 units of the eVTOL aircraft it is developing. This step represents a step forward in the purchase agreement concluded between the companies in 2021.
United had already approached Archer when it began serving on an Advisory Committee to improve eVTOL maintenance and operation matters. The committee involves employees from various sectors of the North American airline.
Archer recently completed its production aircraft’s Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and is now advancing to the next stage of its development and commercialization efforts. The PDR lays out all aspects of the aircraft’s specifications and manufacturing requirements, necessary pre-conditions for determinations that the design is feasible for regulatory compliance and viable to bring to market.
“United Airlines Ventures has invested in a diverse roster of companies working in support of our goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, without the use of traditional carbon offsets. We believe eVTOLs have the potential to both help achieve carbon-neutral travel and serve as an innovative new tool to change how United customers experience comfort, convenience, and efficiency during their commutes within cities across the globe.”
Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures.
“I am incredibly proud of the entire Archer team as we reach this milestone in our partnership with United Airlines. To receive a cash deposit is validation of Archer’s achievements to date, not only with flight testing and product development, but also a great signal of confidence in our roadmap to commercialization.”
Adam Goldstein, Archer’s CEO.
