Archer has announced a new partnership with private aviation services company JetEx to integrate the Midnight eVTOL air taxi into the latter's network of several dozen FBOs.
Announced at the Paris Air Show, the partnership will initially concentrate on the UAE, where Archer has selected Abu Dhabi as its international launch market, before expanding to encompass other sites across JetEx's global network of 40 private aircraft terminals spread across 30 countries.
The emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry plans to use existing aviation infrastructure like FBOs and heliports to launch early commercial services, while dedicated vertiport networks will take more time and investment to build out. In addition to JetEx, Archer has partnered with FBO companies Signature Aviation and Clay Lacy Aviation in North America.
Archer has also partnered with Falcon Aviation to build out a vertiport network in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. The startup received approval from Gulf regulators to transform the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal into a “hybrid heliport” capable of hosting both conventional rotorcraft and eVTOLs in April.
Archer's main rival, Joby, has a partnership with Skyports Infrastructure and the Dubai Road and Transport Authority to build out a vertiport network in Dubai. Construction on the first node of that network, a vertiport located at Dubai International Airport, began late last year.
In addition to Archer, JetEx has similarly agreed to partnerships with eVTOL makers Eve, Joby and Volocopter.
The announcement from Archer comes shortly after it began piloted test flights with its Midnight prototype earlier in June. The startup plans to transfer its first aircraft to Abu Dhabi later this year for testing and market survey flights.