“Archer Aviation is giving its air taxi strategy a stronger operating base through its control of Hawthorne Airport near Los Angeles International Airport and Downtown Los Angeles. The company plans to use the site as the operational hub for its Los Angeles network while also developing it as an innovation center for next-generation AI-powered aviation technologies. This makes the airport more than a real estate asset. It can become a testing and coordination point for the company’s broader urban air mobility ambitions.”
Green Girl Leah Visits Hawthorne Airport Neighbors
FAA Update About Air Taxis, “At the FAA Our Mission is Safety”
Personal Electric EVTOLs are Really Loud
This is a personal EVTOL sold by Jetson company.
Air Taxi Noise Would Bother Those in Large Cities: NASA
By Chuck Martin
Author, Futurist, Freelancer, Speaker
(posted to LinkedIn)
People who live in noisy areas would be more bothered by air taxi sounds, according to a new study by NASA.
The Varied Advanced Air Mobility Noise and Geographic Area Response Difference test found that people living in quieter areas would be less bothered by noise from air taxis.
December 2025 Meeting: Presentation by George Kivork, Archer Aviation
In December, George provided an overview of Archer’s plans for operations at Hawthorne Airport.
A Good Summary of the Debates Over Air Taxi Safety, Noise, and AI Testing
“The stakes are high for Los Angeles. If Archer can navigate regulatory hurdles, refine AI safety protocols, and implement effective noise mitigation, Hawthorne could become a model for urban air mobility hubs worldwide. If not, it risks becoming a flashpoint in the debate over how and where AI‑powered aviation should take off.” – Charles Mitchell, Modern Engineering Models
Archer Completes Acquisition, Moves to Acquire JetCenter LA
12 Voluntary Noise Reduction Steps Hawthorne Airport Could Have Taken, But Didn’t
Airports across the LA Basin implemented dozens of noise control programs that do not require FAA approval.
The Hawthorne City Council created the Hawthorne Airport Community Roundtable to “find ways to reduce and mitigate noise impacts.” That was seven years ago, what happened?
- Complete the airport’s 2021 Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program and provide soundproofing for residents within the 65 CNEL.
Example: LAX soundproofing program - Develop a voluntary curfew and voluntary compliance program in partnership with Hawthorne Airport LLC, Advanced Air, and other commercial airline tenants
Examples: Van Nuys’ Quieter Nights Program; Long Beach’s voluntary commercial curfew; Whiteman’s voluntary curfew - Implement voluntary curfew fines if commercial flights take-off or land 10:00 pm to 6:00 am and donate the funds to a local Boys and Girls Club. In addition, award incentives such as additional landing slots for commercial companies that meet noises standards.
Example: Long Beach’s soft curfew fines and fly friendly incentives; Van Nuys - Cities and airports have demonstrated the legal right to ban touch and go landings. That is a powerful incentive for flight schools to fly quietly and respect the neighborhoods.
Example: Torrance - Enforce Hawthorne’s noise ordinance on the ground. The city can enforce noise ordinances when planes are on the ground, such as during start-up, warm-up, maintenance, and taxiing. In the air the FAA is in control, on the ground Hawthorne has noise control authority. Violation is approximately 65-db at the fence line for five minutes or longer, or 40-db indoors at night for five minutes or longer.
Examples: Santa Monica noise ordinances - Install an automated noise monitoring and reporting system at Hawthorne airport.
Examples: Long Beach and Van Nuy’s ANOMS system; Santa Monica’s flight tracker; and Torrance’s Casper system - Track pilot and company fly quietly performance, and report results quarterly to the community and aviation community. Use of a system, such as Vector Airport Systems, for a pilot incentive program. For companies not meeting standards, strongly encourage companies to send pilots to training if they are consistently violating the fly quietly routes. Again – show residents the data, be transparent, consistent, and reliable with your reports.
Examples: Santa Monica, Van Nuys, Torrance, and Long Beach - Ban the noisiest classes of helicopters.
Example: New York City - Beef up Hawthorne Airport’s noise control information webpage.
Examples: all other airports - You can implement landing fees to pay for noise monitors and more staff.
Examples: Torrance, Van Nuys, and Long Beach - Require the phase out of leaded aviation gas at Hawthorne’s fueling station in alignment with the FAA’s EAGLE program. There is no safe level of lead for children. 16 million gallons of leaded fuel were sold in California in 2023. What has Hawthorne LLC done on lead? What is their phase out plan, do they have one?
Examples: Santa Clara County Airport and Whiteman
Or waive fuel fees for pilots using unleaded aviation gas.
Example: Van Nuys - Produce an annual Noise Compatibility Plan summary report to indicate the status of each program listed in the 2021 noise study as required by the FAA.
Examples: all airports
Similar noise control programs have already been implemented by Santa Monica, Torrance, Van Nuys, Whiteman, and Long Beach Airports.
Dec 9th City of Hawthorne Public Hearing During City Council Meeting
Hawthorne residents are welcome to file a speaker card at the start of the Dec 9th Hawthorne City Council meeting to talk about the Final Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Hawthorne Airport Hangars Project.
The project appears to be the demolition and reconstruction of multiple Hawthorne Airport hangers, including the hangers along 120th Street.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING — CITY OF HAWTHORNE CITY COUNCIL
Public Hearing: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 4455 W. 126th St., Hawthorne, CA 90250
According to the Community Network Committee Chair Donny Sandusky, the project will add 130,000 sf of new hanger space into a hot market where jet hangers are in high demand with the closure of Santa Monica Airport coming up. According to Google AI, “130,000 square foot hangar can fit 3 large commercial airliners or a varied fleet of around 12 to 21 private jets.”
The project is complex but as far as we can see, some areas of concern include:
- It’s unclear how this hanger project is related to the arrival of Archer Aviation. Not much communication coming from the City about Archer.
- The public hearing notice and documents were published on November 6, the same day Archer announced they’re taking over the airport lease.
- Why is the City and airport moving so fast on this construction project, but done so little on soundproofing for residents within the 65 CNEL line? Where do residents fall in the airport’s list of project priorities?
- The documents state there is no negative impact – but demolition and construction on this scale will result in construction noise right across the street from residents.
- What are the construction best practices being implemented to prevent noise?
- What about the City specifying construction hours of operations to avoid noise early and late in the day?
- What about temporary exterior sound curtains to lower construction noise and contain dust?
- What about requiring the installation of a block wall along 120th as part of this project to block noise from construction and air traffic?
- According to the documents, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) raises concerns about the new hangers impeding remediation and monitoring efforts (page 272). Why is pollution prevention and monitoring not considered?
- In a news article, Chief Andrew Salas of the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians – Kizh Nation explained that city emails to the Nation’s legal representative suggest key recommendations were brushed aside and that the city treated the initial outreach as a formality. “They’re just checking the box,” he said, adding that despite what the MND says, the city’s interaction has left him skeptical and seeking meaningful cooperation.
- What else should be considered about this project? Would have been nice for the City to host a public information workshop to provide information in detail.
Hawthorne Quiet Skies 