Airports / Malaysia / BWH
RMAF Butterworth Air Base.
Butterworth, Malaysia · 11 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
101 ratings
0
Operators based
11
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
12 nm
To the nearest alternate
Penang International Airport (PEN), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
RMAF Butterworth Air Base, listed as WMKB / BWH, is a mid-sized airport in Butterworth, Malaysia. The airport sits 11 feet above sea level. With no scheduled airline service, it caters to private, charter, and general aviation traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into BWH for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Penang International Airport (PEN, 12 nm), Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR, 43 nm), and Betong International Airport (BTZ, 49 nm). With a single 8,000-foot paved runway, BWH can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from BWH depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under RAF Butterworth. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Butterworth.
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Field capability
ICAO
WMKB
IATA
BWH
FAA / Local
WMKB
Elevation
11 ft
Coordinates
5.4659° N · 100.3910° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs Malaysia fields
state range 10–3,350 ft
At 11 ft, BWH sits lower than 90% of the 29 Malaysia fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 8,000 ft
- 18/368,000 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,000 ft
BWH's 8,000 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.
- 12nmPENPenang International AirportPenang
- 43nmAORSultan Abdul Halim AirportAlor Satar
- 49nmBTZBetong International AirportBetong
- 65nmLGKLangkawi International AirportLangkawi
- 68nmIPHSultan Azlan Shah AirportIpoh
- 88nmHDYHat Yai International AirportHat Yai
Location
Open the full mapWMKB · RMAF Butterworth Air Base · Butterworth, Malaysia
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from BWH on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 5,671 nm | 13h 35m |
| Honolulu (HNL) | 5,933 nm | 14h 12m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 6,912 nm | 16h 28m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 7,288 nm | 17h 21m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 7,412 nm | 17h 38m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 7,508 nm | 17h 52m |
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 7,563 nm | 17h 59m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 7,611 nm | 18h 6m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use BWH?
- RMAF Butterworth Air Base's longest paved runway is 8,000 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 BWH?
- RMAF Butterworth Air Base has one runway; the longest measures 8,000 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to BWH?
- The closest alternate is Penang International Airport (PEN), about 12 nm away, followed by Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (AOR) at 43 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from BWH to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 13h 35m (5,671 nm), Honolulu about 14h 12m (5,933 nm), Seattle about 16h 28m (6,912 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.