Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal discusses his company being announced via a SPAC agreement.
Perhaps the people at United Airlines have witnessed many “Jetsons” iterations in quarantine.
United plans to buy up to 200 fully electric “air taxis” – with the ability to take off and land vertically – to transport customers quickly, safely and ideally with minimal environmental impact.
The airline carrier in Chicago has announced its intention to launch the battery-powered aircraft with Archer, an “air mobility company”, by 2024. When Archer’s planes are up and running, they can transport United customers up to 60 miles away and at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.
United Airlines has announced its intention to partner with Archer, an “air mobility company”, to launch the battery-powered aircraft by 2024. (Jeff Ludes / Archer via AP)
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Scott Kirby, CEO of United, cites the announcement as another of the airline’s initiatives aimed at decarbonising air travel.
“By working with Archer, United is showing the aviation industry that now is the time to embrace cleaner, more efficient means of transport,” Kirby said in a news release on Wednesday. “With the right technology, we can limit the impact of aircraft on the planet, but we need to identify the next generation of companies that will realize this early on and find ways to help them get off the ground.”
| Ticker | Safety | Last | Alter | Alter% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | UNITED LIGHT LINES HLDG. | 43.28 | -0.50 | -1.14% |
Archer is scheduled to unveil its first eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft in 2021 before going into production in 2023. United will assist with the guidance to obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), after which United and its partner Mesa Airlines will acquire up to 200 of the aircraft.
Archer is scheduled to unveil its first eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft in 2021 before going into production in 2023. (Jeff Ludes / Archer)
Archer has since announced that its orders from United are valued at $ 1 billion, with an option for another half a billion dollars, reports the Associated Press.
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The Palo Alto-based comapny has also previously announced a merger with Atlas Crest Investment Corp to form a new, listed company. Archer and Atlas value the deal at $ 3.8 billion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.