Archer Aviation is buying control of Hawthorne Airport for $126 million to build a hub for electric air taxis and test advanced aviation technology.

The deal positions the San José company in a competitive race among California firms to commercialize unproven eVTOL aircraft.

Critics question whether air taxis will ease congestion or merely shift demand, citing safety and noise concerns as the technology seeks Federal Aviation Administration approval.

Hollywood movies have featured flying taxis for decades, but it wasn’t until this month that a Silicon Valley company invested in a real-world hub for futuristic flying machines in Los Angeles.

Archer Aviation is building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOL, to shuttle small groups over dense urban areas. The company

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