Nonstop flight route between Edwards, California, United States and Phalaborwa, South Africa:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from EDW to PHW:
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- About this route
- EDW Airport Information
- PHW Airport Information
- Facts about EDW
- Facts about PHW
- Map of Nearest Airports to EDW
- List of Nearest Airports to EDW
- Map of Furthest Airports from EDW
- List of Furthest Airports from EDW
- Map of Nearest Airports to PHW
- List of Nearest Airports to PHW
- Map of Furthest Airports from PHW
- List of Furthest Airports from PHW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Edwards Air Force Base (EDW), Edwards, California, United States and Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW), Phalaborwa, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,436 miles (or 16,794 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Edwards Air Force Base and Hendrik Van Eck Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Edwards Air Force Base and Hendrik Van Eck Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | EDW / KEDW |
Airport Name: | Edwards Air Force Base |
Location: | Edwards, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°54'20"N by 117°53'0"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Air Force |
View all routes: | Routes from EDW |
More Information: | EDW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PHW / FAPH |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Phalaborwa, South Africa |
GPS Coordinates: | 23°56'12"S by 31°9'18"E |
Area Served: | Phalaborwa, South Africa |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1432 feet (436 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from PHW |
More Information: | PHW Maps & Info |
Facts about Edwards Air Force Base (EDW):
- Previously known as Muroc Air Force Base, Edwards AFB is named in honor of Captain Glen Edwards.
- The closest airport to Edwards Air Force Base (EDW) is Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV), which is located only 19 miles (30 kilometers) NW of EDW.
- With the arrival of the Bell Aircraft P-59 Airacomet jet fighter, the Mojave Desert station was chosen as a secluded site for testing this super-secret airplane.
- A major reason for the growth of Edwards AFB was the nearness of West Coast aircraft manufacturers.
- There are a vast array of organizations at Edwards that do not fall under the 412th Test Wing.
- Aircraft testing continued at this desert "Army Air Base", then on 8 November 1943, the base title was changed to "Muroc Army Air Field, Muroc".
- The furthest airport from Edwards Air Force Base (EDW) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,414 miles (18,369 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
Facts about Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW):
- In addition to being known as "Hendrik Van Eck Airport", another name for PHW is "Phalaborwa Airport".
- The furthest airport from Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,944 miles (19,222 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) is Air Force Base Hoedspruit (HDS), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) SSW of PHW.
- Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) currently has only 1 runway.