Archer Aviation pitches Huntington Beach as lead for federal eVTOL pilot; council hears study-session briefing

Archer Aviation representatives presented a study session to the Huntington Beach City Council on Nov. 11, asking the city to consider partnering on a federal Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) pilot application that would test piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) in U.S. cities.

George Kevork, general manager for Southern California at Archer, and Melissa McCaffrey, head of policy and government affairs, described the company’s four-passenger piloted aircraft, its R&D presence in Huntington Beach and a federal application process with a Dec. 11 submission deadline. Archer said the aircraft is in the FAA certification process, is currently flying test aircraft at Salinas, and targets short urban hops—routes such as Huntington Beach to Long Beach or LAX—that the company says could cut trip times substantially.

The presenters emphasized safety and local economic opportunity. Archer described redundant propulsion and glide capability, pilot certification pathways, instrument-flight capability, ADS‑B surveillance, and charging/vertiport concepts. The company stated its aircraft is “100 times quieter than a helicopter,” a company claim presented by Archer during the briefing. Archer also said it operates an R&D/composite facility in Huntington Beach and is exploring siting options for takeoff/landing facilities and associated charging infrastructure without asking the city for direct funds at this stage.

Councilmembers asked about FAA certification status, noise, pilot training, charging logistics, coordination with ground transportation, exclusivity of operations, and what the city would need to do to lead an application. Archer said the city would act as the primary applicant for the federal RFP; Archer would supply technical support. The presenters said multiple application awards were expected in March and the federal program would select only a small number (they said up to five) of partnered projects for a multi‑year pilot.

Mayor and councilmembers confirmed the presentation was informational; no binding commitment or contract was made. Archer representatives said next steps would be drafting a joint application timeline and returning with more detailed feasibility studies, infrastructure proposals, and public engagement materials. The study session concluded without a vote.

The council indicated interest in further review; staff said any formal municipal participation or agreement would return as a future agenda item for review and possible action.