O N T H E L E A D I N G E D G E : AEROSPACE

The Antelope Valley has been at the heart of aviation and aerospacesince the dawn of powered flight. With its abundant sunshine, clearskies and aviators with The Right Stuff, both the military and the privatesector have found this region to be an ideal location to build and testnew 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

... plus many more.

Home to EdwardsAir Force Base, NASA

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 ofadvanced materials, precision manufacturing and aircraft assembly.The region’s build and test facilities are unsurpassed with all the supportsystems in place to help turn around advanced projects quickly and quietly.

Come explore advanced aerospace capabilities along SoCal’s Leading Edge.

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 forthe U.S. Air Force. The Wing provides support for more than 10,000 military andcivilian personnel who operate from the 481-square-mile facility.

All major aerospace contractors have a significant presence at Edwards and haveconducted tests of many experimental and pre-production aircraft here includingthe F-35, F-22 and F-16 fighters, B-1and B-2 bombers as well as theGlobal Hawk UAV.

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.

Facilities at Plant 42 have been used to construct the space shuttle, F-22 StealthFighter and B-1 Bomber as well as the Global Hawk UAV. Currently, it is home toNASA’s SOFIA airborne telescope and a number of still classified aircraft.

“SOFIA has brought world-classscientists to Palmdale to unlockthe secrets of the universe.”

– Bob MeyerNASA’s SOFIA Program Manager (Ret)

Fox Field, the region’s primary general aviationairport, is home to the Los Angeles County AirShow, drawing tens of thousands of enthusiaststo see famed aviators and their aircraft.

Vintage V12s in Tehachapi restores powerhouseengines of old warbirds. Their team of expertmechanics painstakingly returns complex V-12piston engines to air-worthiness.

Norm Hill Aviation in California City maintainsand repairs multi-million dollar Gulfstream aircraft used by corporate execs and governments worldwide.

Mojave Air and Space Port

Major milestones in aviation and space travel are nostrangers to Mojave Air and Space Port. Home to ScaledComposites, the innovative aircraft design firm createdby Burt Rutan, Mojave has launched many aircraft intothe record books including the Voyager aircraft, the firstto circumnavigate the Earth nonstop without refueling;SpaceShipOne, the first privately built spacecraft; andthe Global Flyer which beat the Voyager’s record fornonstop global travel.

Working closely with Richard Branson’s The SpaceshipCompany, Scaled Composites designed and built SpaceShipTwo, the first spacecraft designed to take commercial travelers beyond our atmosphere.

NAWS China Lake

Home to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Ridgecrest hasmore PhDs per capita than most Ivy League college towns. China Lakeperforms advanced research and development on a variety of conventional and exotic weapons systems.

Ridgecrest has seen a number of private sector offshoots spring fromthe 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 inRidgecrest.

“We enjoy 100% support from ourlocal elected leaders, military assetsand from residents who embrace ourfuture-focused endeavor.”

– Eileen ShibleyChief 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 andfasteners for commercial aviation. Aero Bending in Palmdale providesprecision sheet metal products for both commercial and military applications.

Elsewhere there are precision CNC shops, makers of special adhesivesand coatings, flight control and avionics manufacturers and other specialties, all nearby and ready to address specific needs.

Aviation/Aerospace Industry’sLocal Impact

• Aviation and aerospace employs nearly 30,000 civilian and military personnel locally.

• Total local payroll tops $1 billion annually.

• Contract spending adds nearly $600 million to the local economy.

• Nearly 20,000 indirect jobs are created as a result ofaviation/aerospace industry activities.

• Overall, the industry has an economic impact that is fast approaching $3 billion annually.

Sources: Edwards AFB, NAWS China Lake, U.S. Cluster Mapping

“You don’t concentrate on risks. Youconcentrate on results.”

– General Chuck YeagerU.S. Air Force (Ret)

About the Alliance

The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance (GAVEA),is the public/private partnership that facilitates businessgrowth and opportunity within our region. Our investorsserve as allies for enterprise, offering business leadersadvice and assistance on how best to find success andprosperity along SoCal’s Leading Edge.

For additional information or to arrange a personal tour, please contact:

(661) 722-2201 | www.SoCalLeadingEdge.orginfo@SoCalLeadingEdge.org

PalmdalePalmdale

LancasterLancaster

Bakersfield

Mojave

Edwards

Barstow

LakeLos Angeles

Rosamond

Littlerock

PearblossomNewhall

Burbank

Pomona San Bernardino

Anaheim

TEHACHAPI MTNS

SAN BERNARDINO MTNS

PACIFIC OCEAN

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE

Lake Elizabeth

Valencia

ActonSantaClarita

Boron

Randsburg

Ridgecrest

California City

Tehachapi

Los Angeles