America’s most hotly anticipated VTOL just proved it can take off and land like a standard aircraft
Published on Jun 04, 2025 at 3:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Jun 03, 2025 at 1:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Fenton
America’s most hotly anticipated VTOL just proved it can take off and land like a standard aircraft, which is good because there’s a Space Race-style competition with VTOLs and the US needs to prove it’s come to play.
A Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft will change the game in aviation forever, making airport runways completely redundant and immediate take-offs in built-up cities possible.
Archer Aviation is neck-and-neck with the European VTOL company, Vertical Aerospace, but the difference is that Archer Aviation’s VTOL Midnight is the aircraft closest to production anywhere in the world.
This test run for the Midnight is extremely promising for Archer Aviation, and as the aviation company has been picked as the official partner of the 2028 LA Olympics, things are looking good.
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It seems that every time you look away from the world of aviation for five minutes, a new amazing development is happening, and that in the world of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, we have a modern-day Space Race.
The two biggest players in the VTOL game at the moment are the US’ Archer Aviation and Europe’s Vertical Aerospace, who seem pretty neck-and-neck when it comes to developing their flagship VTOLs.
Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 is a promising VTOL, but in comparison, Archer Aviation’s Midnight is America’s most hotly anticipated VTOL and it’s the closest to mass-production.
Midnight has just proven that it can take off and land like a standard aircraft, but it’s the VTOL capabilities that will be changing the game in built-up US cities.
The VTOL take-off most looks like a helicopter, but it flies just like a standard plane and while we’re still a long way from full VTOL domination, it looks as though 2028 will be a big year for Archer, with it being named the official Air Taxi of the LA 2028 Olympics.
Everything is looking promising in this competition, which is currently a two-horse race, but they both better watch their backs, as Geely and it’s flying Zeekr could be a serious contender.
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Daisy Edwards is a Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Daisy has more than five years’ experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a History and Journalism degree from Goldsmiths, University of London and a dissertation in vintage electric vehicles. Daisy specializes in writing about cars, EVs, tech and luxury lifestyle. When she's not writing, she's at a country music concert or working on one of her many unfinished craft projects.
