
Purdue University Airport (IATA: LAF, ICAO: KLAF, FAA LID: LAF) is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. It is owned by Purdue University and is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. Purdue University Airport is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport. The airspace at LAF is Class D.
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What You'll Learn
- Purdue University Airport is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana
- It is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, serving the Greater Lafayette area
- The airport is owned by Purdue University and is home to its School of Aviation and Transportation Technology
- It was the first university-owned airport in the US, opening in 1930
- The airport has two asphalt runways: 10/28 and 5/23

Purdue University Airport is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Purdue University Airport (IATA: LAF, ICAO: KLAF, FAA LID: LAF) is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. It is owned by Purdue University and is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. Purdue University Airport is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport. This is due to the heavy traffic generated by Purdue University and its flight programs.
The airport covers an area of 527 acres (213 ha) at an elevation of 606 feet (185 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 10/28, which is 6,600 by 150 feet (2,012 x 46 m), and 5/23, which is 4,225 by 100 feet (1,288 x 30 m). Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach, and both runways 10 and 28 are served by GPS WAAS approaches. A VOR-A approach is also available. Runway 10 occasionally uses a shortened configuration, where aircraft land at the beginning of the runway but do not use its full length, instead holding short of the intersecting runway 5/23. This procedure, known as a land and hold short operation (LAHSO), is common in the US and allows both runways to be used simultaneously. Pilots can reject the LAHSO clearance if they require the full runway to land safely.
Purdue University Airport is served by Southern Airways Express, offering daily passenger flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The airport also provides 24 weekly flights to Chicago (ORD) and round-trip flights to countless connecting destinations. From the 1950s to the mid-2000s, the airport received regular commercial air service, with up to 45,000 enplanements in 1979. During this period, various airlines operated through the airport, including Lake Central Airlines, Allegheny Airlines (later USAir, now American Airlines), Indiana Airways, Air Wisconsin, Britt Airways, and Piedmont Commuter.
Purdue University Airport is the home of Purdue University's well-known flight school, offering instruction from pre-solo to Air Transport Pilot levels. The airport has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower and is the second busiest tower in Indiana. It is scheduled for multiple construction projects from May 2024 to July 2024.
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It is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, serving the Greater Lafayette area
Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a busy airport in Indiana, serving the Greater Lafayette area. It is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. The airport is owned by Purdue University and was the first university-owned airport in the country when it opened in 1930. It is also the site of Purdue University's well-known flight school, which offers instruction for pilots of all levels.
The airport covers 527 acres of land and has two asphalt runways, with Runway 10/28 being 6,600 feet long and Runway 5/23 being 4,225 feet long. It is a small to medium-sized airport primarily serving corporate and general aviation aircraft. The mix of aircraft capabilities and pilot experience levels makes Lafayette a complex aviation environment. It is also a popular choice for local businesses and the university community due to the significant savings in cost and time compared to other regional airports.
Purdue University Airport is the second busiest in Indiana, with 3,161 passenger boardings recorded in 2022. It offers daily round-trip flights to Chicago, providing connections to countless destinations worldwide. The airport is served by Southern Airways Express, which operates the largest commuter airline in the country, serving nearly 40 American cities.
The airport has a rich history in aviation. Amelia Earhart prepared her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at Hangar 1, and hundreds of US Army, Navy, and War Training Service members were trained there during World War II. The original hangar, now known as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, is still used by the university's Department of Aviation Technology.
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The airport is owned by Purdue University and is home to its School of Aviation and Transportation Technology
The Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a public-use airport located in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. It is owned by Purdue University and is approximately 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. The airport, which opened in 1930, was the first university-owned airport in the country. It primarily serves the Greater Lafayette area and offers 24 weekly flights to Chicago.
Purdue University's School of Aviation and Transportation Technology is based at the airport. The school offers a range of academic programs, including a combined BS-MS degree program that allows students to complete their bachelor's and master's degrees in five years. The curriculum focuses on various aspects of the aviation industry, such as aircraft manufacturing, safety, unmanned aerial systems, and aviation policy. The school also emphasizes industry partnerships, internships, and real-world projects to prepare students for their future careers.
The airport is home to Purdue Aviation, LLC, which provides premium flight support for all types of aircraft. They offer services such as hangar space, catering, ground transportation, and maintenance. With over 30 years of experience, they are one of the leading flight training providers in the area. Purdue Aviation works closely with the university's flight school, which offers instruction for pilots at all levels, from pre-solo to Air Transport Pilot certification.
The original hangar at the airport, now known as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, is still used by the university's Department of Aviation Technology. It houses offices, classrooms, and laboratories for aeronautical engineering and aviation maintenance programs. The airport also has a rich history, with notable donations of aircraft for educational purposes, including a 737 from United Airlines and a Bombardier CRJ-100 from Comair, both of which were customized with Purdue logos.
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It was the first university-owned airport in the US, opening in 1930
Purdue University Airport (LAF) opened in 1930 and was the first university-owned airport in the United States. It is located in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. The airport covers an area of 527 acres (213 ha) at an elevation of 606 feet (185 m) above sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 10/28, which is 6,600 ft (2,012 m) by 150 ft (46 m), and 5/23, which is 4,225 ft (1,288 m) by 100 ft (30 m). Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach, and both runways are served by GPS WAAS approaches. A VOR-A approach is also available.
The airport is primarily used by corporate and general aviation aircraft and is known for its nationally recognised flight school, which offers instruction from pre-solo to Air Transport Pilot. Purdue University Airport is one of the busiest airports in Indiana due to heavy traffic from the university and its flight programs, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airport had 3,161 passenger boardings in 2022.
The airport has a rich history in aviation, with nearly a century of innovation. It received regular commercial air service from the 1950s to the mid-2000s, with up to 45,000 enplanements in 1979. From 1942 to 1971, Purdue University had its own airline based at the airport, first known as the Purdue Aeronautics Corporation and later as Purdue Airlines. In 1955, the airport became home to the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program. The original hangar, now known as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, is still used by the university's Department of Aviation Technology.
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The airport has two asphalt runways: 10/28 and 5/23
The Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a small to medium-sized airport located in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is primarily used for corporate and
The Purdue University Airport is the second busiest tower in Indiana. In 2019, it recorded 117,727 aircraft operations, averaging 322 per day. The majority of these operations were general aviation (99%), with a small percentage of air taxi (1%) and an even smaller percentage of military and commercial flights.
The airport has a rich history, serving as an emergency landing strip and playing a role in World War II flight training. It has also been visited by notable figures, including Amelia Earhart, who prepared for her around-the-world flight attempt at the airport, and President Ronald Reagan, who arrived in Air Force One in 1987.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Purdue University Airport (LAF) airspace is Class D.
The Purdue University Airport is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. It is owned by Purdue University and is about 2 nautical miles from the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette.
The Purdue University Airport was the first university-owned airport in the United States. It was opened in 1930 when inventor-industrialist David E. Ross donated a tract of land to be used as an aeronautical education and research facility at Purdue University. The airport became the home of the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program in 1955.
Purdue University Airport is home to Purdue University's well-known flight school, which offers instruction from pre-solo to Air Transport Pilot. Purdue's School of Aviation and Transportation Technology is recognized worldwide as a leader in aviation education. The airport also has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower and is one of the busiest airports in Indiana.










































