Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport — Edwards AFB, California

Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport (FAA Identifier: EDW / Site ID: 27416) sits within the sprawling 470-square-mile Edwards Air Force Base complex in Kern County, California, approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in the Antelope Valley high desert. Operating at an elevation of roughly 2,300 feet above sea level on the northern edge of Rogers Dry Lake, North Base is one of the auxiliary landing areas that support the primary Edwards AFB flight test mission. The base itself is home to the U.S. Air Force Test Center (AFFTC), the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, making the surrounding airspace among the most technically sophisticated in the world.

North Base's dry lakebed environment provides an extraordinary natural runway resource — Rogers Dry Lake offers more than 44 square miles of emergency landing area, a feature that has made Edwards the landing site of choice for Space Shuttle orbiters during 54 of NASA's 135 shuttle missions. The auxiliary field at North Base complements the 15,000-foot concrete Runway 04/22 and the 12,000-foot lakebed strips by providing additional ramp and hangar capacity for classified and developmental test programs that require segregated operations away from the main base flight line.

Access to Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport is strictly controlled under Department of Defense regulations. All personnel, contractors, and visitors must obtain base access credentials through the visitor control center at the main gate on Avenue M in North Edwards, California. The base enforces REAL ID-compliant identification requirements, and non-U.S. citizens must coordinate entry through the Foreign Disclosure Office well in advance of any visit. Airspace surrounding Edwards AFB is designated as Restricted Area R-2515, with multiple sub-areas extending from the surface to unlimited altitude, and pilots operating in the region must carefully review current NOTAMs and contact Edwards Approach Control on 124.0 MHz before transiting the area.

The closest commercial passenger airport to Edwards AFB is Meadows Field Airport (BFL) in Bakersfield, approximately 60 miles northwest, which offers scheduled service via United Express to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). For travelers needing full hub connectivity, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is located about 100 miles southwest via State Route 14 and Interstate 5, while Ontario International Airport (ONT) lies roughly 85 miles south on Interstate 15. Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, about 80 miles southwest, provides a convenient alternative for those heading into the Los Angeles basin.

The surrounding Antelope Valley community — including Palmdale, Lancaster, and the unincorporated community of North Edwards directly adjacent to the base — provides lodging, dining, and services for the approximately 10,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel who work at Edwards. The Antelope Valley is also home to Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD), located 30 miles south of the base, which has historically served as an aircraft modification and delivery hub for major defense contractors including Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works facility at United States Air Force Plant 42.

Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport plays a critical role in the ongoing development of next-generation aerospace technology. Current programs tested at and around Edwards include the F-35 Lightning II operational testing conducted by the 461st Flight Test Squadron, developmental work on hypersonic platforms under AFRL's High Speed Strike Weapon program, and NASA Armstrong's research into sustainable aviation fuels and urban air mobility concepts. The base's unique combination of clear weather — Edwards averages over 350 flyable days per year — vast restricted airspace, and world-class instrumentation infrastructure makes North Base an irreplaceable asset in American aerospace development.

Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Edwards Afb, Colorado.

Name Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport
Address Rosamond Boulevard, Edwards AFB CA 93523 Map
Phone (661) 277-6583
Website
Hours

Map of Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport


Frequently Asked Questions — Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport

Civilian access to Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport and Edwards AFB is restricted and requires advance authorization. Visitors must obtain a visitor pass through the 412th Test Wing's Visitor Control Center, located at the main base entry control point on Avenue M in North Edwards, CA 93524. U.S. citizens with valid REAL ID-compliant identification can be sponsored by a base employee or contractor. Edwards AFB hosts a limited public open house approximately once every two years — the last major public air show drew over 35,000 attendees — but routine access to North Base's auxiliary facilities is not available to the general public due to the classified nature of ongoing flight test programs.

The closest commercial service airports to Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport are Meadows Field Airport (BFL) in Bakersfield, approximately 60 miles northwest via U.S. Highway 395 and State Route 58, and Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD), about 30 miles south on State Route 14. For major hub connections, Ontario International Airport (ONT) is roughly 85 miles south, and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about 100 miles southwest. Most Edwards contractors and Department of Defense personnel traveling to the base use LAX or ONT for cross-country flights and drive the final leg, with the SR-14 corridor through Palmdale being the primary route from the south.

The airspace around Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport is covered by Restricted Area R-2515, which consists of multiple subdivisions (R-2515A through R-2515H) extending from the surface to unlimited altitude over various portions of the Edwards complex. Additional restricted areas R-2524 and R-2532 border the main R-2515 block to the east and south. Private pilots and general aviation operators must check current NOTAMs via the FAA's NOTAM system and contact Edwards Approach Control on 124.0 MHz (or Joshua Approach on 124.45 MHz) before entering any adjacent airspace. Unauthorized penetration of active restricted areas is a federal violation and may result in immediate interception by military aircraft.

Rogers Dry Lake, which borders Edwards Air Force Auxiliary North Base Airport and the main Edwards AFB complex, covers approximately 44 square miles of exceptionally flat, hard-packed clay surface that functions as a natural runway. The lakebed can support the weight of heavy aircraft including the Space Shuttle orbiter — NASA used it as the primary Shuttle Landing Facility for 54 of 135 total missions, including the first Space Shuttle Columbia landing on April 14, 1981. The surface remains usable in all directions, providing emergency landing options regardless of wind direction, and its immense size gives pilots recovering from in-flight emergencies an unmatched margin of safety. Average annual precipitation at Edwards is only about 3.5 inches, ensuring the lakebed remains hard and usable for the majority of the year.

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