Archer flight simulation in the skies over Los Angeles. Photo: Archer Aviation Los Angeles is preparing for a new era of urban transportation ahead of the 2028 Olympics. Archer Aviation and AEG announced a multi-year collaboration to develop Vertiport, a new electric vertical takeoff and landing facility at the LA LIVE complex in Downtown Los Angeles, adjacent to the Crypto.com Arena and the city's convention center.
According to the official announcement by Archer, which is planning similar operations in New York and the United Arab Emirates, this is the first airport announced in Downtown Los Angeles, and is intended to be integrated into the air taxi network that the company plans to establish in the area in preparation for the Olympic Games - LA28.
Archer will be LA LIVE's exclusive air taxi provider, as part of the company's preparations to operate Air Taxi services in the city during the Games period.
The company also serves as the Official Air Taxi Provider of LA28 and Team USA, and positions the new project as a key part of its future transportation plan in Los Angeles.
Archer plans to operate air taxi services using its electric eVTOL aircraft, Midnight.
According to the company, urban flights using Midnight may take about 10-20 minutes, thereby significantly shortening ground trips that sometimes take an hour or more in Los Angeles due to traffic congestion.
The vision is to allow passengers to travel quickly between major hubs in the city and metropolitan area using electric aircraft that take off and land vertically. The move is still in the planning and development phase, and is not a service that has already been approved for commercial operation.
Archer and AEG have already completed an initial feasibility study on the site, which included an examination of land use, airspace, electrical infrastructure, and the impact on the environment and community.
The parties are now moving on to additional stages of planning, including planning the passenger experience and the future operation of the complex.
Incidentally, Archer is planning a broader network of airports and is expected to operate the landing pads at, among others, SoFi Stadium, USC, Hollywood Burbank, and Hawthorne Airport, with the goal of creating an urban air transportation system that will connect major sports, tourism, business, and aviation hubs in the city.
The project is part of Los Angeles' broader preparations for the 2028 Olympics, in which new transportation infrastructure is being examined and developed to cope with the traffic congestion expected during the games.
Los Angeles. Photo: ShutterstockFor Archer, hosting the Olympics is an opportunity to showcase air taxi technology to a wide international audience and demonstrate how electric aircraft can integrate into urban transportation.
The move still requires the necessary regulatory approvals and operational completions, but if it progresses as planned, Los Angeles could become one of the first cities in the world where urban air transportation becomes a real part of the city's travel experience