ON THE LEADING EDGE: The Antelope Valley has been at the heart of aviation and aerospace since the dawn of powered flight. With its abundant sunshine, clear skies and aviators with The Right Stuff, both the military and the private sector have found this region to be an ideal location to build and test new flight technologies. The list of remarkable firsts is lengthy:
First supersonic flight First stealth aircraft First space shuttle First aircraft to fly globally, nonstop First private spaceship to win the X-Prize
Home to Edwards Air Force Base, NASA ... plus many more. Armstrong Flight Research Center, Mojave Air and Space Port, U.S. Air Force Plant 42, and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, the Greater Antelope Valley hosts every major aviation and aerospace prime contractor as well as hundreds of specialty subcontractors who make the complex parts and components that go into aircraft. The area’s workforce has extensive experience and deep knowledge of advanced materials, precision manufacturing and aircraft assembly. The region’s build and test facilities are unsurpassed with all the support systems in place to help turn around advanced projects quickly and quietly. Come explore advanced aerospace capabilities along SoCal’s Leading Edge.
AEROSPACE
Edwards Air Force Base The 412th Test Wing, headquartered at Edwards Air Force Base, plans, conducts and analyzes flight and ground tests of aircraft, weapons systems and components for the U.S. Air Force. The Wing provides support for more than 10,000 military and civilian personnel who operate from the 481-square-mile facility. All major aerospace contractors have a significant presence at Edwards and have conducted tests of many experimental and pre-production aircraft here including the F-35, F-22 and F-16 fighters, B-1 and B-2 bombers as well as the Global Hawk UAV.
Fox Field, the region’s primary general aviation airport, is home to the Los Angeles County Air Show, drawing tens of thousands of enthusiasts to see famed aviators and their aircraft.
Edwards is also home to the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.
U.S. Air Force Plant 42 U.S. Air Force Plant 42 is a geographically separate component of Edwards AFB located on 5,800 acres in Palmdale. Plant 42 has more than 3.2 million square feet of industrial space and is home to Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works as well as key facilities of Boeing, Northrop Grumman and NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.
Vintage V12s in Tehachapi restores powerhouse engines of old warbirds. Their team of expert mechanics painstakingly returns complex V-12 piston engines to air-worthiness.
Facilities at Plant 42 have been used to construct the space shuttle, F-22 Stealth Fighter and B-1 Bomber as well as the Global Hawk UAV. Currently, it is home to NASA’s SOFIA airborne telescope and a number of still classified aircraft.
Norm Hill Aviation in California City maintains and repairs multi-million dollar Gulfstream aircraft used by corporate execs and governments worldwide.
“SOFIA has brought world-class scientists to Palmdale to unlock the secrets of the universe.” – Bob Meyer NASA’s SOFIA Program Manager (Ret)
NAWS China Lake Home to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Ridgecrest has more PhDs per capita than most Ivy League college towns. China Lake performs advanced research and development on a variety of conventional and exotic weapons systems. Ridgecrest has seen a number of private sector offshoots spring from the scientific minds and engineering talents gathered here. Most notably Monarch, Inc., a new UAV manufacturer focused on agriculture, energy and surveying applications, has opened its headquarters in Ridgecrest.
Mojave Air and Space Port Major milestones in aviation and space travel are no strangers to Mojave Air and Space Port. Home to Scaled Composites, the innovative aircraft design firm created by Burt Rutan, Mojave has launched many aircraft into the record books including the Voyager aircraft, the first to circumnavigate the Earth nonstop without refueling; SpaceShipOne, the first privately built spacecraft; and the Global Flyer which beat the Voyager’s record for nonstop global travel. Working closely with Richard Branson’s The Spaceship Company, Scaled Composites designed and built SpaceShipTwo, the first spacecraft designed to take commercial travelers beyond our atmosphere.
“We enjoy 100% support from our local elected leaders, military assets and from residents who embrace our future-focused endeavor.” – Eileen Shibley Chief Executive Officer, Monarch, Inc.
Supporting Subcontractors Throughout the Antelope Valley there are an impressive array of aerospace subcontractors with the expertise required to fulfill demanding commercial and mil spec requirements. Morton Manufacturing of Lancaster provides high-strength bolts and fasteners for commercial aviation. Aero Bending in Palmdale provides precision sheet metal products for both commercial and military applications. Elsewhere there are precision CNC shops, makers of special adhesives and coatings, flight control and avionics manufacturers and other specialties, all nearby and ready to address specific needs.
Ridgecrest
Aviation/Aerospace Industry’s Local Impact Bakersfield
Randsburg
TEHACHAPI MTNS
• Aviation and aerospace employs nearly 30,000 civilian and military personnel locally. • Total local payroll tops $1 billion annually.
California City Tehachapi
Mojave Edwards Boron EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE
• Contract spending adds nearly $600 million to the local economy. • Nearly 20,000 indirect jobs are created as a result of aviation/aerospace industry activities.
Barstow
Rosamond
Lancaster Lake Elizabeth
Palmdale Littlerock
Santa Clarita Valencia
Acton
Lake Los Angeles
Pearblossom
Newhall
• Overall, the industry has an economic impact that is fast approaching $3 billion annually.
SAN BERNARDINO MTNS
Burbank
Sources: Edwards AFB, NAWS China Lake, U.S. Cluster Mapping
Los Angeles
Pomona
San Bernardino
PACIFIC OCEAN
Anaheim
About the Alliance The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance (GAVEA), is the public/private partnership that facilitates business growth and opportunity within our region. Our investors serve as allies for enterprise, offering business leaders advice and assistance on how best to find success and prosperity along SoCal’s Leading Edge. For additional information or to arrange a personal tour, please contact:
“You don’t concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results.” – General Chuck Yeager U.S. Air Force (Ret)
(661) 722-2201 | www.SoCalLeadingEdge.org info@SoCalLeadingEdge.org