Archer Aviation, one of two electric aircraft makers seeking to revolutionize the air taxi market, has reassigned Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan and put his deputy at the controls.

The move comes at a pivotal time for San Jose, California-based Archer. Just 33 miles down State Road 17 in Santa Cruz, its top rival, Joby Aviation, is poised to begin mass production of its own electric-vertical-takeoff-and-landing, or eVTOL, air taxi aircraft this year.