Archer Aviation and Soracle Corporation—a joint venture newly established by Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation—signed agreements focused on bringing advanced air mobility (AAM) services to Japan. Soracle plans to launch its AAM operation in Japan using Archer’s Midnight aircraft, with the goal of offering electric air taxi flights in cities where existing ground transportation is constrained by traffic or geographic barriers.

To do so, Soracle has obtained the right to place aircraft orders of up to 100 Midnight aircraft, totaling approximately $500 million, which would include pre-delivery payments based on certain milestones in advance of aircraft delivery.

Soracle will develop a variety of flight routes in attractive areas for residents as well as domestic and international visitors. Route locations could include places such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Setouchi and Okinawa with the aim of establishing a transportation network that creates new value through mobility in the sky.

Archer and Soracle will work closely with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to obtain the necessary permissions and certifications. Archer and JCAB have already begun discussions and Archer intends to work to certify our aircraft in Japan.

As a first step towards commercializing AAM services in Japan, Archer and Soracle plan to conduct a public flight demonstration at the World Expo to build public support, demonstrate the future of aviation and accelerate stakeholder’s engagement.

Archer’s electric aircraft, Midnight, is designed to offer passengers a safe, sustainable and low-noise alternative to ground transportation:

• Travels at speeds up to 150 mph, turning hour-long ground commutes into minutes in the air;

• Designed for back-to-back flights of 20-50 miles with minimal charge time in between;

• 100x quieter than a helicopter at cruising altitudes;

• Redundant systems across the aircraft designed for similar levels of safety as commercial airliners; and

• Piloted, and designed to carry up to four passengers with carry-on luggage.