Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD): Aerospace Industry Hub and Antelope Valley Commercial Gateway
Palmdale Regional Airport (IATA: PMD, ICAO: KPMD) is a joint-use civil and military facility located in Palmdale, California, within the aerospace-rich Antelope Valley corridor of northern Los Angeles County. The airport shares property with Air Force Plant 42 — a government-owned, contractor-operated aircraft production and test facility where some of the most advanced military aircraft in U.S. history have been built, including the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the F-22 Raptor, and more recently the B-21 Raider. This extraordinary aerospace pedigree makes PMD unlike virtually any other regional airport in the country: standing on the civilian terminal apron, one may witness flight test activity for next-generation military aircraft operating from the adjacent Plant 42 runways. The airport's main runway (07/25) stretches 12,000 feet — a consequence of its military origins and the need to support heavy, fully-loaded military test aircraft.
On the commercial side, Palmdale Regional Airport has sought to serve the Antelope Valley's growing population of 500,000+ residents with subsidized Essential Air Service flights and periodic attempts to attract low-cost carrier service. American Airlines has provided connections to Los Angeles International and Phoenix at various times. The city of Palmdale and Los Angeles County have invested in terminal improvements to make PMD more attractive to commercial carriers, recognizing that residents currently drive 60–90 minutes south to LAX for most travel needs. The airport's enormous runway and airside infrastructure could easily support wide-body commercial operations if sufficient demand materialized. Until then, PMD remains primarily a general aviation, charter, and industrial aviation facility with intermittent commercial service — and one of the most fascinating airports in California for anyone interested in aviation history.
What is Air Force Plant 42 and how does it relate to PMD?
Air Force Plant 42 is a government-owned aircraft production and research facility adjacent to Palmdale Regional Airport. It is operated by defense contractors including Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin under government contracts. Aircraft produced or tested there include the B-2 Spirit, F-22 Raptor, U-2 reconnaissance aircraft upgrades, and the B-21 Raider. The shared runway system means civilian and military test aircraft coexist in the same airfield environment.
Does Palmdale Regional Airport have commercial airline service?
PMD has had intermittent commercial service through the FAA's Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which subsidizes commercial flights to underserved communities. American Eagle and other regional carriers have served PMD at various times with connections to LAX and Phoenix Sky Harbor. Service continuity has been a persistent challenge due to low load factors. Travelers should check current schedules with airlines and the airport authority for up-to-date information.
Why does PMD have such a long runway?
The 12,000-foot runway at PMD was built to accommodate heavy military aircraft during the Cold War era, when the adjacent Air Force Plant 42 was producing and testing advanced military jets that required long takeoff rolls under full military power. The same runway that tested prototype B-2 bombers now serves civilian general aviation — a striking juxtaposition that characterizes the Antelope Valley's aerospace identity.
What general aviation services are available at PMD?
PMD offers 100LL avgas and Jet-A fuel, FBO services, hangars, tie-down parking, and charter services through operators based on the field. The airport's scale and uncrowded airspace make it an attractive destination for transient pilots crossing the Mojave Desert, and its elevation of 2,543 feet MSL provides density altitude conditions useful for training in high-altitude performance.
Palmdale Regional Airport - Kpmd Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Palmdale, Maryland.
| Name | Palmdale Regional Airport - Kpmd |
| Address | 2503 East Avenue P, Palmdale CA 93550 Map |
| Phone | (661) 272-6715 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Palmdale Regional Airport - Kpmd
PMD's Economic Role in the Antelope Valley and Future Commercial Potential
Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD) represents one of California's most significant untapped commercial aviation assets. The Antelope Valley is one of the fastest-growing regions in Los Angeles County, driven by affordable housing relative to the coastal basin, a large and stable defense industry workforce at Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and dozens of suppliers, and the growing logistics and distribution sector drawn by the region's highway and future high-speed rail connections. Los Angeles County, which operates PMD, has periodically conducted commercial service studies to quantify the potential market, consistently finding that hundreds of thousands of Antelope Valley residents would use commercial service at PMD if reliable nonstop flights to major destinations were available.
The airport terminal, while modest, has been upgraded to meet TSA security requirements and can be expanded to accommodate growth. Its FAR Part 139 certification means it meets federal safety standards for scheduled commercial service. The surrounding area offers ample land for parking expansion and terminal growth, unlike the constrained urban sites of BUR or LGB. Caltrans Division of Aeronautics includes PMD in its regional airport planning for the High Desert, and the California High-Speed Rail project envisions a Palmdale station that could eventually create an intermodal hub combining rail and air travel. Whether PMD ultimately becomes a significant commercial facility or remains primarily an industrial aviation and GA airport will depend largely on whether an airline makes a sustained commitment to the Antelope Valley market.