Purdue University Airport (LAF)
Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a small to medium sized, primarily general aviation airport located at West Lafayette, IN. It is used primarily by corporate and general aviation aircraft. Opened in 1930 as the first university-owned airport in the country, the airport is home to Purdue University’s nationally known flight school, which offers instruction from pre-solo all the way through Air Transport Pilot. The mix of aircraft capabilities and pilot experience make Lafayette a complex environment. View a printable Pilot Handbook of the LAF information found on this Web page.
Know Before You Go
The RWY configuration consists of RWY 10/28 and intersecting RWY 5/23.
TWY C is parallel to a large section of RWY 10.
Check NOTAMs for closed RWYs and TWYs.
The airspace at LAF is Class D. (Refer to Sectional Chart.)
LAF Tower Hours of Operation – 0700L-2100L
Administrative Office Open 0700L to 1500L - M through F
Business Phone 765-743-2611
Below find various LAF-specific information and things to be aware of, as well as general information to inform your preflight planning. This will be reviewed quarterly and updated as needed. This information is to supplement the From the Flight Deck Videos that are produced by the FAA Runway Safety Group. Here you will also find information provided by the local air traffic controllers at the airport where you intend to fly. The information is subject to change. Not for navigation or legal* pre-flight action. Always refer to official pre-flight materials such as, but not limited to, NOTAMs, airport diagrams, VFR charts and airport construction notices for the latest airport-specific details.
Hot Spots
There are no hot spots.
Wrong Surface Intersection Takeoff
The risk exists for a Wrong Surface Intersection Takeoff.
Using the above illustration:
- If cleared for a RWY 10 Intersection Takeoff, turn LEFT onto the RWY.
- If cleared for a RWY 28 Intersection Takeoff, turn RIGHT onto the RWY.
- CHECK YOUR MAGNETIC COMPASS and HORIZONTAL SITUATION INDICATOR (HSI).
Surface Risk – Movement Area Cautions
Aircraft taxiing outbound from the ramp to RWY 10 via TWY B and TWY C have missed the turn onto TWY C, continued straight on TWY B, and have entered RWY 10/28 without clearance.
Note: RWY 10/28 has raised Signs and Wig Wag Lights.
On TWY B1, there is no Non-movement Area Boundary Marking prior to reaching the RWY Hold Short Marking. Crossing the RWY Hold Short Line without ATC clearance will result in a RWY Incursion.
General
- Bird and drone activity within the vicinity of the airport.
Traffic Patterns
- Please request all early turns and non-standard traffic patterns from the controller.
- During periods of heavy pattern traffic volume, (5+ aircraft in the pattern), expect upwind extensions and potential changes to your pattern traffic direction (left/right pattern). Please read back all control instructions issued to you by the controller to verify that you understand all control instructions issued.
Ground Control
- Make all requests for intersection departures with Ground Control.
- Taxiway C1 is the primary entrance/exit to the Purdue Aviation FBO ramp and is a blind spot from the tower due to a line-of-sight issue caused by the hangar.
Runway Crossings
- Please read back all runway crossing and runway hold short instructions with your callsign included in the same transmission.
Takeoff/Departure
- Please read back all take off clearances with your callsign included in the same transmission.
Arrival/Landing
- Grissom Approach Control will normally sequence IFR aircraft to RWY10/28. For IFR aircraft on the Visual Approach, expect pattern entry instructions and sequence on initial contact with LAF TWR.
- VFR aircraft must make two-way radio contact with LAF TWR prior to entering the Class D surface area. Contact LAF TWR 10 NM from the airport if possible. Expect to be issued a mileage from the airport to report, along with either left or right traffic to the active runway.
- Taxiway B is near the RWY 05/23 and RWY 10/28 runway intersection. On landing rollout, maintain vigilance to ensure that you exit the runway onto a taxiway rather than onto the intersecting runway.
Special Traffic (Military / Commercial / Helicopter, etc.)
- Heavy flight training operations within 15NM radius of LAF airport.
Additional Information
- LAF airport is scheduled for multiple construction projects from May 2024-July 2024. Please ensure that you check NOTAMs.
- Due to airport layout, it may be necessary for ATC to meter traffic in and out of the ramp utilizing TWY C, TWY D, or TWY B depending on traffic flow. This normally occurs during periods of heavy flight school traffic. Transient pilots need to be aware of this when arriving or departing LAF.
- TWYs C and B are the primary access route to the ramp area for arrivals on RWY 10 during periods of heavy traffic.
- Pilots expecting RWY 10 for departure may encounter ramp delays until demand reduces.
- The Purdue University flight school and the TWR have worked out several
reporting points to help with traffic flow. None of these are depicted on the Sectional Chart.
Transient pilots inbound to the field, and issued a reporting point that is not on the chart should advise the TWR that they are not familiar and will be provided alternate instructions.
[Land and Hold Short Operations: Landing on RWY 10. Hold Short Point RWY 5/23.]