Archer and AEG to Build an eVTOL Vertiport in Los Angeles

L.A. Live is the first specific downtown site Archer has publicly identified, although downtown Los Angeles has long been part of the company’s plans for building an urban air mobility network. The site is expected to become one of the network’s hubs as Archer prepares for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is an “official air taxi services provider” for the LA28 Organizing Committee and Team USA.

Archer’s planned Los Angeles network will connect L.A. Live with Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX), John Wayne Airport (KSNA), SoFi Stadium, the University of Southern California, and Hollywood Burbank Airport (KBUR). The network’s central operating hub will be Hawthorne Municipal Airport (KHHR), which Archer recently acquired.

The agreement with AEG to develop the L.A. Live vertiport also makes Archer the “exclusive air taxi services provider” for the complex, which includes Crypto.com Arena, the Los Angeles Convention Center, and the Peacock Theater. Archer declined to disclose who will finance, own, or operate the vertiport, whether AEG will pay for the exclusivity, or whether the agreement applies to helicopters or only to competitors operating similar eVTOL aircraft.

The Midnight is a piloted, all-electric aircraft designed to carry four passengers. It has a top cruising speed of approximately 150 mph (240 km/h) and a range of up to 100 miles (160 km). However, Archer has optimized the aircraft for a series of consecutive flights covering roughly 20–25 miles (30–40 km). The company says Midnight will be capable of carrying passengers across Los Angeles in 10–20 minutes while producing less noise than a helicopter and zero direct emissions during flight. Midnight has not yet received certification. Archer has also yet to conduct a piloted transition from vertical takeoff to horizontal flight, but the company maintains that the milestone will be achieved this year, as previously planned.

Archer and AEG said they have completed a preliminary feasibility study covering land use, airspace integration, power requirements, and potential impacts on the local community. A second phase is now underway, focusing on flight operations and the passenger experience. The site is expected to use charging equipment supplied by Beta Technologies as part of the America’s Consortium for Electric Skyways initiative, launched by Archer, Beta, and Macquarie Capital.

For Liberty Charters, the development of eVTOL technology represents a major opportunity for the future of private aviation. These aircraft could help our clients reach their final destinations significantly faster, particularly in congested urban areas where ground transportation can add substantial time to a journey.

We believe the broader deployment of vertiports and the growing availability of eVTOL services will play an important role in shaping the future passenger experience. When combined with private jet travel, eVTOL aircraft could provide a seamless first- and last-mile connection, reducing overall travel times while making private aviation even more convenient and comfortable for passengers.

Liberty Charters expects the eVTOL ecosystem to expand significantly in the coming years and sees these aircraft as a valuable complement to private aviation rather than a replacement for it.