Founders' Plaza: Watch Planes Take Off and Land

Plane Watch at DFW's Favorite Spot

Experience the exhilaration and awe of planes landing and taking off right in front of your eyes. Founders' Plaza is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy quality time with friends and family at DFW's favorite spot to plane watch.

Over the years, Founders' Plaza has become a favorite spot for families, aviation enthusiasts and Airport employees.

The Observation Area offers magnificent views of many types of aircraft as they take off and land. In addition, the plaza provides convenient parking, picnic tables, telescopes, historic information, a commemorative monument and a radio that broadcasts air traffic control communications from the FAA tower.

Founders' Plaza is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Monument

Certain dimensions and features of this monument have been established to represent significant facts about the Airport. The panels are symbolic of the Airport’s general layout. The granite monument located in Founders' Plaza was funded by generous donations from the Friends of DFW, various civic leaders and community members.

• The four panels represent the Airport's four original passenger terminals.
• The 35" wide side panels represent 35 miles between Dallas and Fort Worth.
• The Airport's seal in the center symbolizes the Airport's central location.
• The four center panels are bound on the top and bottom by horizontal bands symbolizing the Airport’s physical relationship between Highway 114 and 183 respectively.
• The total height of the center panel is 8.11' representing the 8.11 mile length of the Airport’s property.
• The overall thickness of the monument is 17.638" representing the 17,638 acres originally contained within Airport property.

The History

DFW's Founders' Plaza was dedicated in 1995 as a tribute to the founders of DFW Airport. Their vision was to create not only an airport, but a major economic stimulus for the entire North Texas region. Thanks to the efforts of the Airport’s owner cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, DFW employees and travelers throughout the world, the vision of DFW’s founders has become a reality.

Founding Airport Board Members and Advisors:

Mayor J. Erik Jonsson, J. Lee Johnson III, N. Alex Bickley, Mayor Willard Barr, Robert B. Cullum, A. Earl Cullum, Jr., Najeeb E. Halaby, H. B. Fuqua, S. G. Johndroe, Jr., Frank A. Hoke, Dr. Thomas J. Martin, Mayor DeWitt McKinley, J. C. Pace, Jr., Henry L. Newman, Morris G. Spencer, Elgin B. Robertson, Henry Stuart, Mayor R.M. (Sharkey) Stovall, Hobart Turman, Carl J. Thomson, Mayor Wes Wise, George M. Underwood