Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL Completes Salinas–Hollister Roundtrip in ~12 Minutes Each Way as 'No Roads' Tour Launches
Why It MattersSuccessful piloted eVTOL city-to-city flights build regulatory and operational precedent that could accelerate air-taxi route expansion and FAA integration across US markets.
Archer Aviation Inc. announced on September 8, 2026, that its Midnight all-electric air taxi completed a piloted roundtrip between Salinas Municipal Airport and Hollister Municipal Airport in California, the first stop on the company's "No Roads" flight tour. Each leg took roughly 12 minutes, compared with about 40 minutes or more by car, with Midnight reaching 125 mph, cruising at 3,550 feet, and covering more than 40 miles over the full roundtrip.
The flight followed more than 70 test flights conducted in August, including an earlier piloted roundtrip between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport. The "No Roads" tour is set to continue across Northern California in the coming weeks, with flights planned to Monterey, San Martin, San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Archer said the flights are being coordinated with the FAA and state and local partners, aiming to prepare Midnight for operations in the Los Angeles area and under the White House's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program in Texas, Florida, and New York. Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said the tour is meant to "bring Midnight to cities across America, fly real routes, and build the operational muscle for eIPP operations and LA28 alongside the FAA."
