Chart Wise: West Lafayette, Indiana (KLAF) VOR-A

Old-school approach and circling procedures must be navigated to reach Purdue University Airport.

Jason Blair

Friday, October 16, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Ramp at Purdue University Airport (KLAF) in West Lafayette, Indiana [Credit: Purdue University]

Key Takeaways:

The VOR-A approach at Purdue University Airport (KLAF) is a "circling-only" approach, meaning it doesn't align with a specific runway; pilots must break out of the clouds and maneuver to land on a suitable runway, with specific night limitations for Runway 23.
This approach relies solely on circling minimums, which are notably lower than standard (e.g., 554 feet AGL for slower aircraft), requiring pilots to fly a lower-altitude pattern before landing.
It's an "old-school" procedure that starts at the BVR VOR (IAF), follows specific altitude and DME steps to the BATLE Final Approach Fix, and allows for missed approach identification via DME, GPS, or timing, with the missed approach procedure directing back to the BVR VOR.

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A trip to West Lafayette, Indiana, to visit Purdue University (see feature on page 44), or perhaps getting some flight training there while in college, might just find a pilot with a need to fly the VOR-A approach. Or it just might be that your CFI (or mean old DPE on your IFR practical test) is putting you through the paces and asking you to fly it. It’s an old-school kind of approach. So let’s dig into some of the things you might want to take note of when trying to land at Purdue University Airport (KLAF).

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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