PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 515; Flight Crew Type 100
Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Airport; Airspace Structure
A student and I were flying in a Piper Archer and had called Lafayette Tower 8 miles out; inbound from the southeast. A developmental controller was working the tower position. Our instructions were to report 3 miles SSE and to expect Runway 23. I had previously been hearing both the tower dev and instructor issue traffic information to other pilots about a B737 that was inbound on a visual approach to Runway 28; but this information had not yet been issued to me.A Cirrus was in the left traffic pattern for Runway 23 at the time. I was able to gather this from radio chatter while inbound to the airport. The B737 was on the visual approach to Runway 28; who checked in with Lafayette ATCT somewhere along its 5-6 mile right base to Runway 28. Despite not having been personally issued the traffic information from the tower; I saw the B737 turn final to Runway 28; and my student and I were basically paralleling that aircraft on its final approach to Runway 28 at a safe distance.Meanwhile the Cirrus had been instructed to pass behind the B737 so that his downwind to Runway 23 extended east of the B737 on final for Runway 28. The Cirrus was firmly established on an extended left downwind to Runway 23 when the tower asked for my position; which was 4 miles SSE. I added that we were 'paralleling the B737.' It was then that the tower instructor issued traffic information about the Cirrus; I was unable to see that traffic. He came back with an instruction to begin an immediate right turn; presumably to avoid it. The Cirrus crew then saw us and reported us in sight.A radar display in Lafayette ATCT would make a huge difference in forecasting these potential conflicts; which are usually sorted out on a last-minute basis because of the non-radar environment in which we operate. We are very lucky to have controllers as sharp as the ones at Lafayette; but the lack of radar creates an inefficiency that has potential safety implications on the operation of the airport.It is also important to note that neither the Cirrus nor my aircraft were ever issued wake turbulence cautionary advisories. If there had been a student pilot or inexperienced pilot at the controls of either my airplane or the Cirrus; there could have been a wake turbulence encounter given that both aircraft had been asked to pass behind the B737.
PA-28 Instructor pilot describes an airborne conflict during traffic pattern entry at LAF with a Cirrus already in the Runway 23 pattern and a B737 on a visual approach to Runway 28. LAF Tower does not have Radar and the reporter believes it would have been very useful this day; although the Controller did an admirable job of separating the traffic without it.