Joby and Archer Push First US eVTOL Passenger Flights to 2027
Joby Aviation and Archer now expect their first US eVTOL passenger flights in 2027, later than planned. What their third-quarter updates said and why.
The first eVTOL passenger flights in the United States will not happen in 2026 after all. Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, the two best-funded US developers of electric air taxis, both told investors in their third-quarter updates that initial passenger operations are now expected in 2027, AVweb reported on 12 November 2026.
Joby: certification flight tests first
Joby had planned to start carrying passengers before the end of 2026 under the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which allows limited early operations. According to its 4 November shareholder letter, the company has completed several certification tests but still expects FAA pilot training and more company flight testing in the first half of 2027. Those steps come before Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) flight testing, in which FAA pilots evaluate the aircraft for certification.
Joby’s chief policy officer, Greg Bowles, said commercial flights under the pilot program will be “tied to substantial TIA flight testing”. The company has already flown demonstration flights in Texas and Florida, but it has not announced a date for its FAA type certificate.
Archer: demonstration flights in Los Angeles
Archer said its Midnight aircraft has received an FAA Market Survey Special Airworthiness Certificate, allowing piloted demonstration flights around Los Angeles from conventional runways. Before it can seek approval for vertical operations, it must complete a piloted transition from vertical lift to wing-borne flight, which it still targets for the end of 2026. Chief executive Adam Goldstein said he plans to be the first passenger in Midnight in 2027. Archer is also preparing for operations linked to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Why it matters
Air taxi timelines have slipped repeatedly as companies discover how much testing a completely new category of aircraft needs before regulators will approve it for paying passengers. Early operations under demonstration programmes are limited; routine commercial service still requires full FAA type certification for each aircraft. A 2027 start would still put the US among the first markets, but it shows that certification, not technology alone, sets the pace. Compare the main players in our eVTOL startup comparison and see how developers handle one of the biggest technical risks in how electric aircraft prevent battery fires.
Sources
- AVweb: Joby, Archer push initial passenger operations to 2027, 12 November 2026
- Joby Aviation, third-quarter 2026 shareholder letter, 4 November 2026
- Archer Aviation, third-quarter 2026 results and earnings call, 9 November 2026
