Pilots advised on West Lafayette VOR-A approach quirks

The VOR-A approach into Purdue University Airport (KLAF) in West Lafayette, Indiana, is a circling-only procedure, a review of the chart notes. The "A" suffix signals that the approach is not aligned to a single runway, but instead brings an aircraft to the airport so the pilot can choose the most suitable runway on arrival. In this case aircraft approach from the northwest and, once clear of cloud, join the pattern to land.

Minimums are published only for circling. The lowest, for aircraft in approach categories A and B, are 1,160 feet above mean sea level, or 554 feet above ground level. Pilots flying the procedure should expect to fly the pattern at a lower altitude than they might otherwise use.

One chart note restricts the use of Runway 23: circling to that runway is not authorised at night. The approach is described as an older, traditional VOR procedure, of the sort an instructor or examiner might ask a pilot to fly during training or an instrument checkride.