United Airlines and Archer, a developer of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), have selected the route between Vertiport Chicago and O’Hare International Airport (ORD) as the first point-to-point route to use the manufacturer’s aerial vehicles in the city.
The initiative is part of the two companies’ joint work to develop urban air mobility (UAM) networks.
See also: United Airlines and Archer to promote eVTOLs
New eVTOL route announced by United and Archer
The announcement marks an important step forward in the relationship between the two companies, which are working with local authorities to develop the infrastructure necessary to bring operations to the Chicago metropolitan area. United and Archer expect eVTOLs to be integrated into the city’s transportation ecosystem beginning in 2025.
Vertiport Chicago, the largest vertical take-off and landing facility in North America, is centrally located near the Chicago Loop. From there, users will be able to travel to the largest airport serving Chicago in about ten minutes, significantly reducing travel times.
The first routes will focus on the shuttle service between O’Hare and downtown, known as «trunk» routes. Once established, the next step will be to create secondary routes that offer connections to surrounding communities.
«Both Archer and United are committed to decarbonizing air travel and leveraging innovative technologies to deliver on the promise of the electrification of the aviation industry», said Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures. «Once operational, we are excited to offer our customers a more sustainable, convenient and cost-effective mode of transportation during their commutes to the airport», he added.
United and Archer first reported that they would cooperate on the development of urban air mobility ecosystems in May 2022. The airline would provide operational and maintenance expertise, while Archer would advance the development of its prototype.
The eVTOL developed by Archer
Archer is developing an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft called «Midnight», an advancement of the original prototype known as «Maker». According to the company, it will reach a top speed of 150 miles per hour (241 kilometres per hour) and have a range of 60 miles (96 kilometres).
In this way, it will be an interesting alternative for passenger or freight mobility in urban conglomerates with traffic congestion problems.
