Archer Aviation, an eVTOL aircraft designer and manufacturer, announced plans for three air taxi networks serving Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth, including a potential connection at Frisco Station.
The proposed service network could offer a faster way to travel through North Texas as plans remain in development.
The gist
Archer Aviation announced plans for air taxi networks across Texas with a goal of helping passengers bypass traffic with 10- to 20-minute flights aboard its all-electric Midnight aircraft.
In an Oct. 23 press release, Archer Aviation said its planned Dallas-Fort Worth network would link the metroplex’s major airports to the region's business districts, including Frisco Station. The project is planned in partnership with Hillwood, the real estate development company founded by Ross Perot Jr.
The company’s Midnight eVTOL is a piloted, all-electric aircraft designed to operate as an urban air taxi, holding up to four passengers and reaching speeds up to 150 miles per hour. It is designed with 12 propellers and is suitable for short urban trips around 100 miles.
Statewide, the planned air taxi network aims to connect major airports to business centers and regional destinations. Passengers can book a flight through the Archer app, with Midnight air taxi fares estimated at $100 to $150 per trip.
If successfully launched, Archer Aviation could serve as Frisco’s only air taxi service.
What they’re saying
“Texas is setting the bar for America’s leadership in the next generation of aviation,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer Aviation Founder and CEO, in the release. “Our planned networks will make the benefits of electric air taxis real for Texans—trading hours in traffic for minutes in the air, while connecting the biggest airports, business districts and sporting hubs in ways that America’s largest mega region needs to grow.”
“The race to dominate next-generation aviation is moving faster than ever,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in the release. “These three planned networks will not only allow Texans to reclaim their time but also strengthen American leadership in the skies.”
Zooming out
The press release emphasized regional connections, with Archer Aviation’s Houston network designed to connect to the beaches of Galveston and the Austin network designed to connect to the Circuit of the Americas racetrack.
Archer Aviation’s announcement comes just over a month after Project Nexus took flight, beginning testing of its air taxi services at Perot Field in Fort Worth.
The company does not yet have a large commercial fleet of its Midnight air taxis, as Archer Aviation actively scales up manufacturing and advances through the remaining stages of Federal Aviation Administration certification.
