Purdue Airport's Airspace Classification: What You Need To Know

Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a small to medium-sized airport located in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States. It is the first university-owned airport in the country and is home to Purdue University's flight school. The airport covers 527 acres of land and has two asphalt runways. Due to its heavy traffic, it is one of the busiest airports in Indiana. The airspace at Purdue University Airport is Class D.

Purdue University Airport is Class D airspace

Purdue University Airport is a busy airport in Indiana, United States. It is owned by Purdue University and is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 miles) southwest of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. Purdue University Airport is Class D airspace.

The airport has a rich history in aviation and is known for its flight programs. It was the first university-owned airport in the United States, opening in 1930. The airport was designated as an emergency landing strip in November 1930, and Amelia Earhart prepared her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at the airport. The original hangar, now known as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, is still used by the university's Department of Aviation Technology. Purdue University also had its own airline based at the airport from 1942 to 1971, first known as the Purdue Aeronautics Corporation and later as Purdue Airlines.

Due to its heavy traffic and the mix of aircraft capabilities and pilot experience, the airport is considered a complex environment. It is served by Southern Airways Express, offering daily passenger flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The airport covers 527 acres of land at an elevation of 606 feet above mean sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 10/28 and 5/23. Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach, and both runways are served by GPS WAAS approaches.

As a Class D airspace, Purdue University Airport has specific procedures that pilots must follow. VFR aircraft, for example, must establish two-way radio communication with the LAF tower prior to entering the Class D surface area. They should contact the tower 10 NM from the airport if possible and expect to receive instructions on mileage and traffic patterns. Pilots should also be aware of potential ramp delays during periods of heavy traffic, especially when using Runway 10.

It's a small to medium-sized airport

Purdue University Airport is a small to medium-sized airport located in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is owned by Purdue University and is situated 2 nautical miles (or 3.7 km) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana. The airport was first opened in 1930 as the very first university-owned airport in the United States. It was made possible by a donation of land from inventor-industrialist David E. Ross, who intended for it to be used as an aeronautical education and research facility.

The airport has a rich history in aviation. In 1930, it was designated as an emergency landing strip by the U.S. government, and Amelia Earhart prepared her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt in Hangar 1. During World War II, hundreds of members of the U.S. Army, Navy, and War Training Service were trained at the airport, as well as several commercial pilots from Latin America. Purdue University even had its own airline based at the airport, first known as the Purdue Aeronautics Corporation and later as Purdue Airlines, which operated from 1942 to 1971.

Today, Purdue University Airport is primarily used by corporate and general aviation aircraft and is home to Purdue University's well-known flight school. It is one of the busiest airports in Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis International Airport. The airport covers 527 acres of land and has two asphalt-paved runways. It is served by Southern Airways Express, which provides daily passenger flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

The airport is included in the FAA National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021-2025 and has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower. Purdue University Airport is also known for its lower parking and transportation rates compared to other airports in the region, making it an attractive option for local flyers. Overall, the mix of aircraft capabilities and pilot experience makes Lafayette a complex aviation environment.

It's the second busiest airport in Indiana

Purdue University Airport 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 the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette. Purdue University Airport is the second busiest airport in Indiana, with heavy traffic generated by Purdue University and its flight programs.

The airport covers an area of 527 acres (213 hectares) at an elevation of 606 feet (185 meters) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt-paved runways: Runway 10/28, which is 6,600 feet (2,012 meters) long and 150 feet (46 meters) wide, and Runway 5/23, which is 4,225 feet (1,288 meters) long and 100 feet (30 meters) wide. 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 to stop, a procedure known as a Land and Hold Short Operation (LAHSO). This allows both runways to be used simultaneously and is relatively common in the United States.

Purdue University Airport has a rich history in aviation. It was the first university-owned airport in the United States, established in 1930 when inventor-industrialist David E. Ross donated a tract of land to be used for aeronautical education and research at Purdue University. The airport was designated as an emergency landing strip by the U.S. government in the same year. Notable figures like Amelia Earhart have used the airport, with Earhart preparing her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt in Hangar 1. The airport also became the home of the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps flight training program in 1955. Purdue University had its own airline based at the airport from 1942 to 1971, originally known as the Purdue Aeronautics Corporation and later as Purdue Airlines.

Today, the airport offers 24 weekly round-trip flights to Chicago and over 240 available connecting destinations. It is served by Southern Airways Express, providing daily passenger flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The airport is included in the FAA National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021-2025 and is categorized as a regional general aviation facility. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airport had 3,161 passenger boardings in 2022. Purdue University Airport continues to play a significant role in aviation education and contributes to the dynamic innovation hub that Purdue University fosters.

The airport covers 527 acres of land

Purdue University Airport is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. Covering 527 acres of land, the airport is owned by and bears the name of Purdue University, being the first university-owned airport in the country. It is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km or 2.3 mi) southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana, in West Lafayette.

The airport's rich history dates back to 1930 when inventor-industrialist David E. Ross donated a tract of land to Purdue University to be used for aeronautical education and research. On November 1, 1930, the airport was designated as an emergency landing strip by the US government. Runway 5/23 was paved later in the 1930s, and notable figures like Amelia Earhart have graced its grounds. During World War II, hundreds of members of the US Army, Navy, and War Training Service were trained at the airport, in addition to several commercial pilots from Latin America.

Purdue University Airport has played a significant role in aviation. From 1942 to 1971, Purdue University had its own airline based at the airport, initially called the Purdue Aeronautics Corporation and later renamed Purdue Airlines. The airline eventually operated three McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jet aircraft. The airport also witnessed a short-lived cargo operation by Evergreen International Airlines in the late 1970s, utilising Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop planes.

The airport's vast expanse of 527 acres accommodates two asphalt-paved runways. Runway 10/28 stretches to 6,600 feet by 150 feet (2,012 x 46 metres), while Runway 5/23 measures 4,225 feet by 100 feet (1,288 x 30 metres). Runway 10 boasts a Category 1 ILS approach, and both Runways 10 and 28 are equipped with GPS WAAS approaches. Additionally, a VOR-A approach is available for pilots.

It has two asphalt-paved runways

Purdue University Airport is a busy airport, ranking as the second busiest airport in Indiana. It has two asphalt-paved runways. The first runway, 10/28, was built in the early 1960s to support the Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction with two DC-6 aircraft. Runway 10/28 is 6,600 feet long and 150 feet wide. It is served by GPS WAAS approaches, and occasionally, a shortened configuration of Runway 10 is used. The second runway, 5/23, was paved later in the 1930s and is 4,225 feet long and 100 feet wide. Both runways are intersected by Taxiway B.

The Purdue University Airport (LAF) is a small to medium-sized, primarily general aviation airport located in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is owned by Purdue University and is about 2 nautical miles from the central business district of Lafayette, Indiana. The airport covers an area of 527 acres at an elevation of 606 feet above mean sea level.

Due to its heavy traffic, the Purdue University Airport is one of the busiest airports in Indiana. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airport had 3,161 passenger boardings in 2022. The airport is served by Southern Airways Express, offering daily passenger flights to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

The airport has a rich history in aviation. It was the first university-owned airport in the United States, with inventor-industrialist David E. Ross donating the land in 1930 for aeronautical education and research. Amelia Earhart prepared her plane for her around-the-world flight attempt at this airport, and during World War II, hundreds of members of the US Army, Navy, and War Training Service were trained here.

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