One thing I have learned during my 11 years at RDU, is that things don’t stop. Not for the weekends. Not overnight. Not for the weather.

Over the last few months, you may have seen the large trucks and cement machines that are being used to make repairs on our taxiways and, beginning this weekend, one of our  runways.

This weekend is no different as crews begin doing planned maintenance on the runway adjacent to Terminal 2. The runway will be closed for much of the three days, opening as needed for large aircraft.

By looking at the weather, it seems that it will be a great weekend to get a project like this done, but it is also a great weekend for bringing your family out to RDU to watch planes take off and land.

With the airport’s longest and busiest runway closed for most of the weekend, what does this mean for the many children, parents, grandparents and aviation enthusiasts who gather at RDU’s Observation Park to watch planes take-off and land? Luckily, RDU has another spot that is great for plane watching.

Just a stone’s throw from Observation Park is RDU’s General Aviation Terminal. The glass walls give visitors a panoramic view of the runway, which will be busy this weekend. It also features a balcony where you can go outside and get not only the sights, but also the sounds of the airport.

And if you visit, don’t forget to check out Crosswinds Café. You can grab a bite to eat and enjoy the airport.

So while crews are busy working, you will have a great place to sit back and enjoy RDU. Have a great weekend!