Archer Aviation: Seriously?

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So, Archer Aviation. (ACHR 1.25%) Let me tell you, the whole thing just… bothers me. It’s not even about the money, okay? It’s about expectations. They’re building flying cars, essentially. Or, you know, “eVTOLs,” which is what they call them to sound sophisticated. Like that makes it less ridiculous. It’s supposed to be like Uber, but in the air. Which, immediately, raises a thousand questions. First of all, where do they park these things? Do they just hover? And what happens when it rains? Do they have windshield wipers? I bet they don’t. They probably just assume you’ll risk getting soaked.

They haven’t actually, you know, made any money yet. Which, fine. Startups. But the pressure! They’re talking about 2026 like it’s some kind of deadline carved in stone. Like the FAA is just sitting around waiting for Archer to get its act together. The FAA! Those people have standards. And paperwork. Mountains of paperwork. It’s a bureaucracy! You think they’re impressed by a sleek design? They want safety reports. And contingency plans. And probably a blood sacrifice. Okay, maybe not a blood sacrifice, but you get my point.

Waiting for a Miracle

The whole thing hinges on this “type certificate” from the FAA. Apparently, that’s what you need before you start ferrying people around in glorified drones. They’ve applied for partnerships with cities – California, New York, Texas, Florida. Like the cities are just going to roll out the red carpet. “Oh, you want to land flying cars in the middle of Times Square? Sure, no problem!” It’s absurd. And the Olympics! They’re the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Games. That’s a lot of pressure. What if one of these things malfunctions during the opening ceremony? Can you imagine the headlines? “Flying Car Crashes, Ruins Olympics!”

The stock jumped 32% after some positive news in October. Thirty-two percent! Over what? A successful flight demonstration? They flew a thing? That’s supposed to be impressive? I’ve seen birds fly. And they don’t ask for investment capital. The market is so easily manipulated. It’s frankly insulting.

The Inevitable Delay

Here’s the thing. The FAA is going to delay this. They always delay things. It’s their job. And when they do, Archer’s going to burn through cash. They already have $1.6 billion, which sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s not. Especially when you’re building flying cars. They lost $429 million in the first nine months of last year. That’s… concerning. The stock has been on a “turbulent ride” as they say. Turbulent? It’s been a disaster. It went public in 2021 and has been circling the drain ever since. And it’s all because they promised something they can’t deliver.

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A Long Shot, At Best

They’re talking about a $170 billion market by 2034. Seventeen billion? Who are these people who are suddenly going to start commuting by flying car? And even if they do, how are they going to afford it? It’s going to be ridiculously expensive. You’ll need a pilot’s license, a special airspace permit, and probably a personal fortune. And the noise! Can you imagine a sky full of these things buzzing around? It’ll be unbearable.

Look, I’m not saying it’s impossible. But anyone buying this stock needs to be prepared to hold it for years. Years! And even then, there’s no guarantee it’s going to work out. It’s a speculative investment, which is a fancy way of saying it’s a gamble. And I don’t like gambles. I like things that make sense. And flying cars, frankly, do not.

The FAA will delay, the stock will fall, and eventually, someone will realize this whole thing is just… a mess. And then, maybe, just maybe, we can all go back to driving cars on the ground, where they belong.

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2026-02-26 14:22