The FAA has accepted 100% of Archer Aviation’s Means of Compliance documents for the Midnight aircraft. That clears a key hurdle. Physical certification tests can now start, and Archer’s Q3 2026 commercial launch in Abu Dhabi stays on track.
Joby Aviation, for its part, plans to begin commercial passenger flights in Dubai within weeks. Q2 2026 is when the long eVTOL certification slog starts to turn into real service.
Archer’s MoC acceptance means the FAA has agreed how the Midnight will show it meets airworthiness standards. Physical tests can now begin against those agreed terms.
Joby is further along. It is in Stage 5 type inspection authorization testing with the FAA. Its first FAA-conforming aircraft finished flight testing in March.
What the Joby Dubai Launch Actually Involves
Joby’s Dubai service is the most advanced commercial eVTOL operation in a Western-regulated market. All four vertiport sites are built and fitted out. Uber app booking is confirmed. A pilot training program is underway.
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority’s six-year exclusive partnership sets the rules on the ground. For the first time, passengers in a market with Western-style air rules will be able to book and fly an electric air taxi as a routine service. It is not a demo or a media flight. It is a product you can book.
EHang already holds that title in China. Its CAAC-certified EH216-S carries paying passengers at tourist sites across Guangdong, Hefei, and Shenzhen. EHang plans to grow to 100-plus sites across China by end of 2026. Dubai would be the first such service outside Chinese airspace.
Where Every Major Program Stands
The certification race as of April 2026:
EHang EH216-S — CAAC certified, with commercial operations now running in several Chinese cities. Two passengers, 22-mile range.
Joby S4 — FAA Stage 5, TIA testing underway. Commercial target Q2 2026 in Dubai.
Archer Midnight — FAA Means of Compliance 100% accepted, moving to physical testing. Commercial target Q3 2026 in Abu Dhabi. Build partner Stellantis is ramping up production.
Eve Air Mobility — FAA and ANAC certification in progress. Commercial target 2026–2027.
BETA Technologies ALIA CX300 — FAA certification targeting 2026, commercial operations 2026–2027.
Wisk Gen 6 — pursuing an autonomous certification path. Commercial target 2028.
Vertical Aerospace VX4 — EASA and UK CAA certification in progress. Commercial target 2028.
The Infrastructure Is No Longer Theoretical
Dubai has four vertiports ready for its Q2 launch. Abu Dhabi has four being built for Q3.
Singapore’s Changi hub is confirmed for 2027. London plans Heathrow and City Airport routes for 2028. New York has JFK and Manhattan sites under review for 2027.
Lack of ground sites was long cited as the reason eVTOL could not scale, even after certification. The pace of building now suggests that argument will not last long.
Two things remain open. Will the certification dates above hold? And will Joby’s Dubai launch go from imminent to actual without more delay? The answers will decide how much of this new ground network has aircraft to serve when it opens.
The next 90 days will produce more real-world eVTOL operating data than the previous five years combined.
