Archer, AEG Plan Downtown Los Angeles Vertiport at L.A. LIVE

Proposed site would become the first announced downtown node in Archer’s planned Los Angeles air taxi network ahead of the LA28 Games

Archer Aviation and sports and entertainment company AEG have announced plans to develop a vertiport at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles.

The companies have entered an exclusive, multi-year partnership for the project. Under the agreement, Archer will also serve as the exclusive air taxi provider for the L.A. LIVE district.

If developed as planned, the site would become the first announced vertiport in downtown Los Angeles. It would add a central location to Archer’s planned regional air taxi network.

L.A. LIVE is a four-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district next to Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center. Its venues include Peacock Theater, The Novo and the GRAMMY Museum.

“We are thrilled to pursue this endeavor with Archer to enhance the fan experience around the major sports and live-entertainment events we host,” said Nick Baker, President and Chief Operating Officer, AEG Global Partnerships. “This is an ambitious project and exactly the kind of forward-thinking collaboration that blends infrastructure and technology in service of our fans, visitors, and the broader community around major sports and live-entertainment events hosted at L.A. LIVE.”

Building Out Archer’s Los Angeles Network

Archer plans to use its Midnight electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for the network. Midnight is a piloted, all-electric aircraft designed for short urban trips. It can take off vertically before transitioning to wing-borne flight and can fly at speeds up to 150 mph.

Archer says its planned Los Angeles network could turn some ground trips of an hour or more into flights of 10 to 20 minutes. Previously announced locations include SoFi Stadium, USC and Hollywood Burbank. Archer’s recently acquired Hawthorne Airport is planned as the network’s central operational hub.

“Working with AEG on an iconic project like this vertiport at L.A. LIVE gives us the opportunity to continue building the infrastructure needed for Southern California to lead in the next era of all-electric flight,” said Archer’s Founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein.

AEG and Archer have completed an initial feasibility study for the proposed L.A. LIVE site. That work included reviews of land use, airspace, power availability and community impact.

The companies are now reviewing the operational approach and guest experience. Plans call for the site to use BETA Technologies electric aviation chargers as part of the ACES consortium’s effort to develop standardized charging infrastructure.

Preparing for LA28

The project also supports Archer’s preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archer is the Official Air Taxi Provider of LA28 and Team USA. Downtown Los Angeles will serve as a major center of activity during the Games.

“We see this as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to add a flagship downtown location to our planned Los Angeles air taxi network ahead of the LA28 Games,” Goldstein said.

Archer is displaying its Midnight aircraft at L.A. LIVE on August 24 and 25. The company is also unveiling the aircraft’s Team USA livery for the first time.

The L.A. LIVE announcement expands Archer’s planned Los Angeles network as the company continues work toward commercial operations. Archer says Midnight has completed Phase 3 of the FAA’s four-phase type certification process, with Phase 4 underway.

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