Nonstop flight route between West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from LAF to SMD:
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- About this route
- LAF Airport Information
- SMD Airport Information
- Facts about LAF
- Facts about SMD
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAF
- List of Nearest Airports to LAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAF
- List of Furthest Airports from LAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMD
- List of Nearest Airports to SMD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMD
- List of Furthest Airports from SMD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Purdue University Airport (LAF), West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Smith Field (SMD), Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 106 miles (or 171 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between Purdue University Airport and Smith Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAF / KLAF |
Airport Name: | Purdue University Airport |
Location: | West Lafayette, Indiana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 40°24'43"N by 86°56'12"W |
Area Served: | Lafayette, Indiana |
Operator/Owner: | Purdue University |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 606 feet (185 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from LAF |
More Information: | LAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMD / KSMD |
Airport Name: | Smith Field |
Location: | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°8'35"N by 85°9'10"W |
Area Served: | Fort Wayne, Indiana |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 835 feet (255 meters) |
# of Runways: | 4 |
View all routes: | Routes from SMD |
More Information: | SMD Maps & Info |
Facts about Purdue University Airport (LAF):
- Not many services are available at Purdue airport, but there are a few.
- The furthest airport from Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,148 miles (17,941 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Hundreds of members of the U.S.
- The original hangar, now referred to as the Niswonger Hall of Aviation Technology, still stands and is used by Purdue University's department of Aviation Technology for offices, classrooms, and laboratories.
- The closest airport to Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NW of LAF.
- Purdue University Airport (LAF) has 2 runways.
- Because of Purdue University Airport's relatively low elevation of 606 feet, planes can take off or land at Purdue University Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- Purdue University Airport has an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower and is the second busiest tower in Indiana.
- Evergreen International maintained a short-lived cargo operation at the Airport in the late 1970s using Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft.
- Runway 10 has a Category 1 ILS approach.
Facts about Smith Field (SMD):
- Smith Field is a public airport five miles north of downtown Fort Wayne, in Allen County, Indiana.
- The furthest airport from Smith Field (SMD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,224 miles (18,064 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Smith Field's relatively low elevation of 835 feet, planes can take off or land at Smith Field at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- The War Department signed a $1/year lease for the south side property and invited the community to suggest a name.
- Smith Field (SMD) has 4 runways.
- The closest airport to Smith Field (SMD) is Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) S of SMD.