Airports / Washington / NUW
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (Ault Field).
Oak Harbor, Washington · 47 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.4/5
Google rating
97 ratings
0
Operators based
47
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
9 nm
To the nearest alternate
Anacortes Airport (OTS), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (Ault Field), listed as KNUW / NUW, is a mid-sized airport in Oak Harbor, Washington. The field lies at an elevation of 47 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
NUW has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Anacortes Airport (OTS, 9 nm), Center Island Airport (CWS, 11 nm), and Decatur Shores Airport (DTR, 11 nm). NUW offers 2 runways, the longest 8,001-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of NUW vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from NUW, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
KNUW
IATA
NUW
FAA / Local
NUW
Elevation
47 ft
Coordinates
48.3518° N · 122.6560° W
Airspace
C · CharlieClass C, CharlieRadar-controlled airspace around mid-size hubs. Aircraft must be in two-way radio contact and squawking a transponder while approach control sequences arrivals.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs WA fields
state range 10–2,556 ft
At 47 ft, NUW sits lower than 81% of the 52 Washington fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 8,001 ft
- 14/328,001 ft × 200 ftConcreteUnlit
- 07/257,999 ft × 200 ftConcreteLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,001 ft
NUW's 8,001 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.
- 9nmOTSAnacortes AirportAnacortes
- 11nmCWSCenter Island AirportCenter Island
- 11nmDTRDecatur Shores AirportDecatur
- 14nmLPSLopez Island AirportLopez
- 15nmBYWBlakely Island AirportBlakely Island
- 18nmFRDFriday Harbor AirportFriday Harbor
Location
Open the full mapKNUW · Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (Ault Field) · Oak Harbor, WA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from NUW on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 572 nm | 1h 44m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 643 nm | 1h 54m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 644 nm | 1h 54m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 808 nm | 2h 17m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 855 nm | 2h 23m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 869 nm | 2h 25m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 874 nm | 2h 26m |
| Denver (DEN) | 924 nm | 2h 33m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use NUW?
- Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (Ault Field)'s longest paved runway is 8,001 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 NUW?
- Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (Ault Field) has 2 runways; the longest measures 8,001 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to NUW?
- The closest alternate is Anacortes Airport (OTS), about 9 nm away, followed by Center Island Airport (CWS) at 11 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from NUW to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Jackson Hole about 1h 44m (572 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 54m (643 nm), San Francisco about 1h 54m (644 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.