In a bold infrastructure power play, Archer Aviation Inc. has struck a $126 million deal to seize control of Hawthorne Municipal Airport, positioning the San José-based eVTOL pioneer as the linchpin of Los Angeles’ nascent air taxi network. Announced on November 6, 2025, the acquisition—detailed in Archer’s investor release—transforms the 135-acre site, mere miles from LAX, into a dual-purpose hub for commercial operations and AI-driven aviation testing. This move catapults Archer into direct confrontation with rivals like Joby Aviation, escalating California’s battle to dominate the $1 trillion urban air mobility market.

The airport, historically tied to aviation icons like Northrop and currently hosting SpaceX facilities, offers Archer unparalleled vertiport infrastructure amid L.A.’s sprawling congestion. ‘The airport is located in the heart of the City, less than three miles from LAX, and the closest airport to some of the city’s biggest destinations — SoFi Stadium,’ Archer stated in its Aviation Week Network-covered announcement. Eric Lentell, Archer’s chief strategy officer, told the Los Angeles Times, ‘We’ve always viewed Los Angeles as a cornerstone market for launch of air taxis, both in the U.S. and globally.’

Strategic Foothold in Urban Skies

Archer’s pact involves acquiring the master lease and an option to buy the fixed-base operator, per Aviation International News. This secures prime real estate for its Midnight eVTOL, a piloted four-passenger craft designed for 20-mile hops at 150 mph. The site will host vertiports, manufacturing, and AI simulations, aligning with Archer’s LA28 Olympics partnership to ferry VIPs from SoFi Stadium. ‘We were already looking at infrastructure in and around L.A., so when the airport became an option, we knew we had to pounce on it,’ Lentell added to the LA Times.

Financially, the deal strains Archer’s $650 million recent fundraising, as noted in its Q3 shareholder letter. Shares plunged over 25% year-to-date post-announcement, reflecting investor jitters on revenue timelines amid FAA certification delays, according to market data referenced in Los Angeles Business Journal. Yet, Archer eyes scalability: Lentell envisions multi-operator access once eVTOLs mature in 10-15 years.

Rivals Maneuver in the Golden State

Joby Aviation, Santa Cruz-based and FAA Part 135 certified since 2024, leads the pack with piloted eVTOL flights between public airports, as posted on X by @JobyAviation. ‘We’ve made aviation history with the first piloted eVTOL air taxi test flight between two public airports! FAA-controlled airspace. 10 nautical miles. 12 minutes,’ Joby announced in August 2025. Partnering with Delta and scouting LAX integration, Joby showcased its aircraft at L.A.’s Grove and eyes Dubai vertiports at Dubai Mall and Atlantis, per its updates.

Eric Allison, Joby’s chief product officer, told the LA Times, ‘California, in some ways, was the birthplace of the idea for this new wave of mobility.’ Joby’s shares surged 60% YTD, buoyed by 84% FAA Stage 3 certification progress and U.S. Air Force deliveries. Competitors like Wisk Aero (autonomous focus) and Supernal add pressure, while global players from China and Europe loom, as covered in DroneLife.

FAA Hurdles and Certification Sprint

No eVTOL has full FAA Type Certification for commercial passenger ops; Archer targets Midnight’s approval in 2025, trailing Joby’s advanced simulations. Joby completed human-in-the-loop FAA sims in June 2025, per X posts. Archer’s Q3 milestones included record flight tests and Lilium patent buys, but commercialization hinges on Part 135 expansions and battery breakthroughs for rapid recharges.

Safety redundancies define designs: Archer emphasizes critical system backups, while Wisk’s VP Dan Dalton stressed to LA Times, ‘We have got to make sure that this aircraft meets all of the highest levels of safety standards.’ FAA’s Advanced Air Mobility framework, via 2023 DOT RFI, demands rigorous integration into airspace.

Noise and Community Backlash Builds

Local outrage simmers over Hawthorne’s fate. ‘Neighbors outraged LA airport becomes ground zero AI-driven flying taxis,’ blared Fox News on November 21. The Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance warns of unknowns, with president Darlene Yaplee telling LA Times, ‘There’s great concern about safety and security with these flying overhead.’ Critics argue eVTOLs shift, not solve, congestion as ground transport persists.

Proponents counter with quiet tech: Joby’s Allison claimed, ‘It’s nearly silent when it flies over an urban environment because it’s below the background noise.’ Cushman & Wakefield’s Mike Condon Jr. scouts vertiports, dubbing them ‘bus stops for flying taxis’ in LA Times interviews. Archer plans low-noise, affordable ops at Hawthorne, doubling as SpaceX neighbor and Boring Co. test site.

Investor Calculus and Olympic Spotlight

Archer’s stock dip underscores risks: ‘2 Things Every Archer Aviation Investor Needs to Know,’ warned recent analyses, highlighting FAA waits. Joby’s momentum, with Red Sea Global deals and Dubai Airshow flights, contrasts sharply. Archer counters via LA partnerships for 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, promising priority service launches.

Brokers like Vertiports by Atlantic eye L.A. sites, per LA Times. ‘This is George Jetson-esque. This is the future here, now,’ said Condon. Archer’s Lentell projects ‘insatiable’ demand for competitively priced flights.

Infrastructure as the Ultimate Moat

Hawthorne’s acquisition, per Business Aviation, controls vertiport scarcity, securing Olympics visibility. It reshapes eVTOL strategy in the low-altitude economy, forcing rivals to lease or build anew. As California cements its lead—fueled by EV battery expertise and AI—the race pivots from aircraft to ecosystems.

With Joby’s global pushes and Archer’s L.A. fortress, 2026 vertiport unveilings could herald viability. Yet, FAA nods, noise mitigation, and affordability proofs remain pivotal. Lentell insists, ‘I think we can deliver a product that is low noise and competitively priced.’