In a not too distant future, financiers in Steve Ross’ West Palm Beach office towers will be able to leave work and zip down to his Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in less than 30 minutes.
They will ride, Jetsons-style, in Archer Aviation air taxis, thanks to the billionaire Related Ross chairman’s partnership with the San Jose, California-based company, the South Florida Business Journal reported.
Archer Aviation specializes in electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, dubbed air taxis. The company is planning hubs in Miami Executive Airport, Miami International Airport, Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Boca Raton Airport, Palm Beach International Airport and Stuart Witham Field Airport.
Archer will also utilize helipads at Ross’ Hard Rock Stadium and his Apogee Golf Club. Vertiports, which are similar to helipads, are being planned in West Palm Beach, the Magic City Innovation District in Miami’s Little Haiti and North Bay Village, according to a news release and published reports.
The longest routes in the planned network will take about 30 minutes, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Archer plans to use its Midnight model in the South Florida network, which has seating for four passengers, a pilot and luggage. Pricing information isn’t yet available, but was compared to pricing for high-end ride services like Uber Black by Archer’s head of government affairs, Melissa McCaffrey. From Miami to West Palm Beach, that’ll typically run about $200.
It’s a service that could transform a growing region handicapped by gridlock traffic.
When the network will be operational is dependent on approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which has yet to certify Archer’s air taxis for commercial use. Its eVTOL aircraft are the first new category considered by the FAA in almost 80 years.
Archer is also planning air taxi networks in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Abu Dhabi.
It’s not the only eVTOL maker targeting South Florida. Israeli eVTOL developer AIR started flight testing near West Palm Beach in September. One of its aircraft crashed during a test flight in October, according to Aero Time.
–– Kate Hinsche
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