Airports / California / EDW
Edwards Air Force Base.
Edwards, California · 2,312 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
KEDW
IATA EDW
0
Operators based
2,312
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
19 nm
To the nearest alternate
General William J Fox Airfield (WJF), 4 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Edwards Air Force Base, listed as KEDW / EDW, is a mid-sized airport in Edwards, California. The field lies at an elevation of 2,312 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
EDW has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include General William J Fox Airfield (WJF, 19 nm), Palmdale Regional Airport / USAF Plant 42 Airport (PMD, 20 nm), and China Lake Naws (Armitage Field) Airport (KNID, 47 nm). EDW offers 3 runways, the longest 16,798-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of EDW vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from EDW, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
KEDW
IATA
EDW
FAA / Local
EDW
Elevation
2,312 ft
Coordinates
34.9108° N · 117.8864° W
Airspace
D · DeltaClass D, DeltaA control tower runs the immediate airspace. Pilots establish two-way radio contact before entering, typical for busy business-aviation fields.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs CA fields
state range -210–7,135 ft
At 2,312 ft, EDW sits higher than 85% of the 164 California fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
3 runways
longest 16,798 ft
- 05R/23L16,798 ft × 300 ftConcreteLighted
- 05L/23R12,000 ft × 200 ftAsphaltUnlit
- 07/258,000 ft × 50 ftConcreteUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 16,798 ft
EDW's 16,798 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 19nmWJFGeneral William J Fox AirfieldLancaster
- 20nmPMDPalmdale Regional Airport / USAF Plant 42 AirportPalmdale
- 47nmKNIDChina Lake Naws (Armitage Field) AirportChina Lake
- 48nmBURHollywood Burbank AirportBurbank
- 52nmVNYVan Nuys AirportVan Nuys
- 53nmONTOntario International AirportOntario
Location
Open the full mapKEDW · Edwards Air Force Base · Edwards, CA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from EDW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 151 nm | 45m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 271 nm | 1h 2m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 306 nm | 1h 7m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 450 nm | 1h 27m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 587 nm | 1h 46m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 595 nm | 1h 47m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 618 nm | 1h 50m |
| Denver (DEN) | 696 nm | 2h 1m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use EDW?
- Edwards Air Force Base's longest paved runway is 16,798 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at EDW?
- Edwards Air Force Base has 3 runways; the longest measures 16,798 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to EDW?
- The closest alternate is General William J Fox Airfield (WJF), about 19 nm away, followed by Palmdale Regional Airport / USAF Plant 42 Airport (PMD) at 20 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from EDW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: San Francisco about 1h 2m (271 nm), Scottsdale about 1h 7m (306 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 27m (450 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.