Archer Aviation is bolstering its government relations efforts and opening an office in Washington, D.C., as the California-based eVTOL developer builds momentum for the certification of its four-passenger Midnight air taxi. If all goes according to plan, Archer will have a type certificate from the FAA in hand by the end of the year, with commercial air taxi operations launching in 2025.
The new office is conveniently located just one block away from FAA headquarters and a five-minute drive from the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Capitol building. Initially set up for a small team of five employees, the facility will serve as both a policy hub and an eVTOL technology showroom for lawmakers.
While no full-scale aircraft are on display, the showroom “will feature some of our industry-leading proprietary technology, like our engines and battery pack, as well as a sub-scale vertiport model and VR simulator that allows visitors to immerse themselves in Midnight's passenger flying experience,” a company spokesperson told AIN. Archer’s D.C. office also has a rooftop event space with “expansive views” of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, “where we plan to host a series of events in the coming months to promote the commercialization of flying taxis,” the spokesperson added.
“This strategic move is part of our proactive approach to progressing through the regulatory process here in the U.S. as efficiently as possible so that we can help ensure our country continues to define the future of global aviation,” said Billy Nolen, who this week took on a new role as Archer’s chief regulatory affairs officer. Nolen recently served as the FAA’s acting administrator and joined Archer in June as its chief safety officer.
“Showcasing our leading eVTOL aircraft technologies to leaders in the nation’s capital will help bring to life our vision to transform cities by reducing traffic with safe, quiet electric air taxis,” Nolen added.
To assist with government relations at the state and local levels, Archer has hired aviation policy expert Melissa McCaffrey, who for the past two years has led government affairs for competing eVTOL developer Overair. McCaffrey also spent more than 10 years working at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, most recently serving as the organization’s Western Pacific regional manager. She is a licensed pilot and holds a bachelor’s degree in air traffic management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Also joining Archer’s regulatory team in an advisory role is Lynda Tran, who recently served as a senior advisor to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg while leading public engagement efforts for the Department of Transportation (DOT). During that time, Tran helped pass the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. She also represented the DOT as its official designee to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Under the Obama Administration, Tran was the director of communications for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is part of the DOT.