Archer Aviation has announced the completion of the first phase of its Hawthorne Airport transactions, which includes acquiring the master lease from the City of Hawthorne and the associated subleases. This gives Archer control of the real estate comprising the airport. In early November, Archer signed a series of definitive agreements to take control of this unique Los Angeles aviation asset.
Archer expects the airport to serve as its operational hub for its planned L.A. air taxi network, including playing a key role during the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Additionally, the airport is already a profitable enterprise, and Archer believes significant untapped upside remains.
Hawthorne Airport is strategically located less than three miles from LAX and is the closest airport to several of the city’s biggest attractions: SoFi Stadium, The Forum, Intuit Dome, and Downtown Los Angeles.
Adam Goldstein, Archer’s Founder and CEO, said: “This is an important milestone as we look to build out the future of air taxis right here in LA. We are helping our great cities rethink and redefine transportation as we prepare for the next phase of modernization and growth in our country.”
The airport sits on an 80-acre site in the heart of L.A. and includes approximately 190,000 square feet of terminal, office, and hangar facilities. The historic Hawthorne Airport, also known as Jack Northrop Field, was built in the 1920s and once helped shape Southern California’s aerospace legacy.
Archer also plans to use the airport as an innovation testbed for next-generation, AI-powered aviation technologies it is developing with its airline and technology partners. This includes AI-driven air traffic and ground operations management, among other key technologies. With this evolution, Archer expects to significantly enhance the upside for the already-profitable Hawthorne enterprise.
In the second phase of the transaction, planned for next year, Archer intends to acquire the airport’s FBO and passenger terminal, giving Archer full control of the airport and its day-to-day operations.
