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LAFAYETTE

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER

 

Brought to you by

NATCA LOCAL LAF

 

 

 

       LAF ATCT Purdue University Airport Tower 

 

 

 
 

Tower Construction

 

In January 1966, the Purdue Board of Trustees is notified that a study is underway to determine the feasibility of construction of a control tower at the airport, to be funded 100% by the US government. In order to receive such funding, it is determined that the airport must be declared a "public airport".

 

On March 2nd, 1966, the Purdue Board of Trustees votes unanimously to adopt a detailed and lengthy resolution declaring among other things, the airport to be a "public airport". The resolution will take effect only after the Federal Aviation Agency notifies Purdue in writing, the federal government will install a control tower at the airport with federal funds.

 

In August 1969, the Purdue Board of Trustees approved submission to FAA the proposal and application for grant of funds for construction and maintenance of a control tower with an associated ATC training facility. In addition, the board proposes that the university develop a 2 year, and later a 4 year Air Traffic Control training program, to help train the 4000+ per year controllers that are estimated by the FAA to be hired over the next 10 years.

 

In the fall of 1969, a temporary FAA tower is placed at Purdue University Airport for 3 home football games, September 27th (Notre Dame), October 18th (Iowa), and November 8th (Michigan State). It is not known if temporary towers were used in later years.

 

In January 1970, representatives from FAA and other relevant personnel meet to plan and discuss the location of a new control tower, and three locations are identified. 1. The south side of the airport where a tower would be 38' high but require a new road and utility lines. 2, a 68' tower immediately southwest of hanger 4. 3, The far southwest corner of the airport. In addition, the department of transportation has rejected Purdue's Proposal to build a tower and training facility. However, there is a good prospect that construction of a regular control tower funded by the US government will begin in 1971. The board expresses pleasure that construction of a tower is imminent.

 

In September 1970, the Purdue Board of Trustees is notified that construction of the tower will be paid for by the FAA, and will require a staff of 9 controllers. In addition, site 2, immediately southwest of hanger 4, is the location for the new tower, and will cost the least amount of money to complete, about $200,000.

 

In March 1971, the Purdue Board of Trustees is notified that construction of the FAA control tower is delayed by the FAA until spring 1972 due to revised bidding procedures.

 

In January 1972, the Purdue Board of Trustees approved the creation of a lease to the US government of .29 acres for the purposes of constructing a control tower.

 

In April 1972, the Purdue Board of Trustees is notified that FAA has awarded contracts to construct the new control tower, construction is to begin in March of 1973, for a cost of $200,000, to be paid for by the federal government. However, construction of runways and taxiways must be completed prior to the tower construction.

 

In September 1972, the Purdue Board of Trustees is notified that construction of the tower will begin in October 1972, and completion should be in February or March of 1973.

 

On October 30th, 1972, the airport runway construction is nearly completed, and the runways are opened, clearing the way for tower construction.

 

By November 8th 1972, construction of the FAA control tower had begun.

  

                                                     

 

Facility Description:
LAF Tower is the only FAA staffed, nonapproach control tower without radar, in the United States. LAF works the 2nd largest number of tower operations in Indiana, approximately 117,404¹ take off and landings annually, and we're ranked 174th out of 503 towers ² , for annual aircraft operations. However, due to our lack of air carrier passenger implements, our ATC facility level is ATC4.

 

The tower was completed in 1973. In 1998 responsibility for IFR non-radar approaches was transferred from Lafayette Tower to Chicago Center. However, the tower is still responsible for initial separation of IFR aircraft. As you can see by the picture, our tower is 6 stories tall. The tower has a great view of the Purdue Campus, and West Lafayette.

 

The bulk of the traffic at Lafayette is from student pilots, learning to fly at Purdue University's flight school. Purdue has over 20 aircraft, and most of them depart, and return every 2 hours starting at 7:30AM when the school is in session. The university also has a number of higher performance aircraft, and will routinely practice making instrument approaches to the airport. It's not uncommon to have 10-15 practice approaches an hour during the fall and spring semesters. Tower personnel do not provide separation services to VFR aircraft conducting practice approaches, but we do provide traffic advisories to the maximum extent possible.

 

The local Fixed base operator, Lafayette Aviation, also generates a considerable amount of traffic at the airport. They have many student pilots, transient aircraft, and corporate business jets such as Gulfstreams, Citations, Challengers, etc. Lafayette Aviation provides also line service, aircraft maintenance, and sells fuel.

 

Unfortunately, there are no commercial air carriers serving Lafayette. The last commercial carrier, with service between Lafayette and St. Louis, pulled out in 2005. The airport has a terminal building that is currently unused. We have an air ambulance service that operates from the field.

 

Things get a little busy around the airport when the Purdue Boilermakers Football team host Big Ten home games. The Ross-Ade Stadium seats more than 65,0000 fans, some of which fly-in to root on the boilermakers!

 

Performance:

According to 2007 data, out of all FAA facilities, Lafayette Tower is ranked #29 for lowest cost per operation at $10.74 per take-off or landing, and #53 for total operations worked per controller, with each CPC working 14,329 operations annually.

 

Total Tower Operations (Indiana):

2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Indianapolis - 174,987 Indianapolis - 199,188 Indianapolis - 203,616 Indianapolis - 212,020 Indianapolis - 224,187
Lafayette - 100,970 Lafayette - 105,934 Lafayette - 112,890 Lafayette - 115,733 Lafayette - 115,242
Evansville - 77,857 Evansville - 78,074 Evansville - 68,267 Fort Wayne - 75,652 Terre Haute- 80,930
Fort Wayne - 58,233 Fort Wayne - 70,007 Fort Wayne - 66,270 Terre Haute- 69,015 Fort Wayne - 78,951
Terre Haute - 42,709 Terre Haute- 52,739 Terre Haute- 56,598 Evansville - 65,899 Evansville - 67,727
Gary 42,559 South Bend - 47,344 South Bend - 51,225 South Bend - 58,971 South Bend - 64,639
South Bend - 41,009 Columbus - 42,419 Columbus - 37,408 Columbus - 41,553 Gary - 45,741
Columbus - 40,909 Bloomington - 33,987 Gary - 35,601 Gary - 40,362 Columbus - 35,937
Bloomington - 26,522 Gary - 33,570 Bloomington - 32,573 Bloomington - 33,950 Bloomington - 34,575
Muncie - 22,805 Muncie - 24,258 Muncie - 26,198 Muncie - 26,428 Muncie - 31,297

 *DOD towers not listed.

 

According to ATADS² there are 503 Air Traffic Control Towers in the US. 264 FAA staffed towers, and 239 Federal Contract Towers. There are 138 "up/down" facilities, towers with associated Airport Surveillance Radar approach control or "TRACON". 92 of which have less tower operations per year than Lafayette.

 

From  September until November and again from February until April, during the Purdue University fall and spring semesters, we average 70-120 operations per hour. We have intersecting runways, and utilize Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO), and Taxi Into Position and Hold (TIPH).

 

Radar:

NATCA is trying to get an earmark for funds to install an ASR at Lafayette, or at least a Digital Bright Radar Indicator Tower Equipment (DBRITE) for the tower cab, which could be slaved off another ASR, perhaps Grissom Air Reserve Base located in Peru, Indiana.

Hours of Operation:  
7am - 9pm Daily, 365 days a year.

Administrative Hours:
7:30am - 3:30pm M-F (Except Holidays)

Operated By:
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

1 Airway Facilities Technician

4 Developmental Controllers³

7 Certified Professional Controllers³

1 Front Line Manager

1 Air Traffic Manager

 

Radio Frequencies:
Tower - 119.6
Ground - 121.9
Clearance Delivery is handled through Ground Control - 121.9
ATIS - 127.75
ASOS / ATIS Telephone Number - (765)743-7697

Airspace:
Class D (4.2 NM radius, surface to 3100'msl)
Approach Control Facility -- Chicago Center - 123.85

 ³ Controllers are represented by NATCA

 

 ¹ Average tower operations over the last 10 years (calendar). Data from ATADS.

2009 - 100,970

2008 - 105,934

2007 - 112,890

2006 - 115,733

2005 - 115,242

2004 - 120,081

2003 - 115,262

2002 - 125,189

2001 - 128,985

2000 - 132,207

1999 - 141,800

1998 - 178,834

1997 - 124,601

1996 - 124,271

1995 - 127,341

1994 - 120,120

1993 - 119,376

1992 - 122,687

1991 - 134,058

1990 - 112,865

 

 ² BELOW DATA IS FROM ATADS 2008 CALENDAR YEAR

FACILITY

TOTAL
TOWER
OPS

RANK

FAA

TOWER
CAB
RADAR
DISPLAY


RADAR
APPROACH
CONTROL
UP/DOWN

NONRADAR
APPROACH
CONTROL
ATL  979777 1 YES YES NO NO
ORD  882807 2 YES YES NO NO
LAX  669204 3 YES YES NO NO
DFW  662606 4 YES YES NO NO
DEN  628886 5 YES YES NO NO
LAS  599431 6 YES YES NO NO
IAH  588285 7 YES YES NO NO
PHX  542249 8 YES YES NO NO
CLT  539608 9 YES YES YES NO
PHL  492793 10 YES YES YES NO
EWR  490119 11 YES YES NO NO
JFK  468157 12 YES YES NO NO
DTW  462971 13 YES YES NO NO
MSP  457865 14 YES YES NO NO
LGA  447784 15 YES YES NO NO
IAD  403301 16 YES YES NO NO
SLC  403162 17 YES YES NO NO
SFO  397596 18 YES YES NO NO
VNY  396553 19 YES YES NO NO
DVT  380529 20 YES YES NO NO
MIA  379020 21 YES YES YES NO
BOS  378775 22 YES YES NO NO
MEM  365534 23 YES YES YES NO
SEA  361369 24 YES YES NO NO
LGB  351606 25 YES YES NO NO
MCO  343795 26 YES YES YES NO
DAB  342379 27 YES YES YES NO
RVS  335993 28 YES YES NO NO
DCA  333543 29 YES YES NO NO
SNA  331905 30 YES YES NO NO
BFI  327409 31 YES YES NO NO
FFZ  324089 32 YES YES NO NO
APA  322908 33 YES YES NO NO
FLL  321361 34 YES YES NO NO
TMB  310850 35 YES YES NO NO
BWI  294692 36 YES YES NO NO
OAK  293971 37 YES YES NO NO
HNL  288157 38 YES YES NO NO
ANC  287760 39 YES YES NO NO
CVG  286801 40 YES YES YES NO
PDX  286032 41 YES YES NO NO
DAL  276805 42 YES YES NO NO
PRC  273505 43 YES YES NO NO
MDW  270666 44 YES YES NO NO
HIO  262531 45 YES YES NO NO
STL  256269 46 YES YES NO NO
SAN  254253 47 YES YES NO NO
SEE  247758 48 YES YES NO NO
TPA  242537 49 YES YES YES NO
GFK  241753 50 YES YES NO NO
CHD  240900 51 NO ? NO NO
HOU  240771 52 YES YES NO NO
CLE  240340 53 YES YES YES NO
MYF  239544 54 YES YES NO NO
IWA  232956 55 NO ? NO NO
RDU  225947 56 YES YES YES NO
SFB  222125 57 YES YES NO NO
TUS  221522 58 YES YES NO NO
SAT  221292 59 YES YES YES NO
SJC  216847 60 YES YES NO NO
AUS  208232 61 YES YES YES NO
SJU  204434 62 YES YES NO NO
IND  199188 63 YES YES YES NO
BNA  198875 64 YES YES YES NO
SDL  197818 65 YES YES NO NO
DWH  197062 66 YES YES NO NO
CRQ  195981 67 YES YES NO NO
PDK  191587 68 YES YES NO NO
BED  188909 69 YES YES NO NO
FXE  188782 70 YES YES NO NO
GYR  187657 71 NO ? NO NO
MKE  184708 72 YES YES YES NO
ABQ  182811 73 YES YES YES NO
HPN  181004 74 YES YES NO NO
ISP  180892 75 YES YES NO NO
EVB  180457 76 NO ? NO NO
VRB  180330 77 YES YES NO NO
MCI  177082 78 YES YES YES NO
BUR  175998 79 YES YES NO NO
TEB  175332 80 YES YES NO NO
PBI  174405 81 YES YES YES NO
PAO  173606 82 YES YES NO NO
HWD  173489 83 YES YES NO NO
FRG  172795 84 YES YES NO NO
HWO  172496 85 NO ? NO NO
SDF  169618 86 YES YES YES NO
MRI  169313 87 YES YES NO NO
ICT  168984 88 YES YES YES NO
PIE  168829 89 YES YES NO NO
PIT  168763 90 YES YES YES NO
RYN  167954 91 NO ? NO NO
CMA  167686 92 YES YES NO NO
CMH  166272 93 YES YES YES NO
SSF  166180 94 NO ? NO NO
VGT  164387 95 YES YES NO NO
OMN  162334 96 NO ? NO NO
PTK  162161 97 YES YES NO NO
ISM  159664 98 NO ? NO NO
ARA  159537 99 NO ? NO NO
LVK  159498 100 YES YES NO NO
TIX  157509 101 NO ? NO NO
SMF  157240 102 YES YES NO NO
PUB  156953 103 YES YES YES NO
TOA  156411 104 YES YES NO NO
FAT  156358 105 YES YES YES NO
MMU  152234 106 YES YES NO NO
BJC  151713 107 YES YES NO NO
COS  148690 108 YES YES YES NO
FPR  148539 109 YES YES NO NO
ADS  147467 110 YES YES NO NO
ACK  146421 111 YES YES NO NO
BOI  146148 112 YES YES YES NO
MLB  145971 113 NO ? NO NO
FTW  145737 114 YES YES NO NO
ONT  144040 115 YES YES NO NO
RHV  143242 116 YES YES NO NO
BUF  141040 117 YES YES YES NO
OKC  140841 118 YES YES YES NO
PAE  140714 119 YES YES NO NO
GEU  138003 120 NO ? NO NO
CRG  137613 121 NO ? NO NO
SRQ  137442 122 YES YES NO NO
ORL  137291 123 YES YES NO NO
RNO  137033 124 YES YES YES NO
MSY  135833 125 YES YES YES NO
SQL  135752 126 NO ? NO NO
CNO  134758 127 YES YES NO NO
SMO  134553 128 YES YES NO NO
TUL  132219 129 YES YES YES NO
OGG  131333 130 YES YES NO NO
KOA  130710 131 NO ? NO NO
APF  130683 132 NO ? NO NO
LIT  130437 133 YES YES YES NO
RNM  130135 134 NO ? NO NO
BFL  129466 135 YES YES YES NO
BDL  128650 136 YES YES NO NO
BHM  128270 137 YES YES YES NO
POC  127475 138 YES YES NO NO
MER  126607 139 NO ? NO NO
PMP  125424 140 NO ? NO NO
MOB  124332 141 YES YES YES NO
ABE  124284 142 YES YES YES NO
OMA  122776 143 YES YES NO NO
FCM  121963 144 YES YES NO NO
RIC  121181 145 YES YES NO NO
PHF  121167 146 YES YES NO NO
DTO  121023 147 NO ? NO NO
APC  120881 148 YES YES NO NO
HYA  120840 149 NO ? NO NO
TYS  120791 150 YES YES YES NO
CPS  119801 151 YES YES NO NO
ORF  118928 152 YES YES YES NO
TKI  118245 153 NO ? NO NO
LAL  118175 154 NO ? NO NO
MSN  118140 155 YES YES YES NO
GKY  117260 156 NO ? NO NO
SBA  117007 157 YES YES YES NO
FAI  116511 158 YES YES YES NO
PVU  115111 159 NO ? NO NO
HEF  114866 160 YES YES NO NO
SUS  114838 161 YES YES NO NO
STP  114484 162 YES YES NO NO
LIH  113342 163 NO ? NO NO
ADW  112161 164 YES YES NO NO
CHS  110823 165 YES YES YES NO
SDM  110511 166 NO ? NO NO
GEG