Farewell, DUATS

For many pilots, the transition likely wont be noticed. Popular electronic flight bag (EFB) apps like ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot long ago went beyond what is/was available on DUATS alone and pulled in data and imagery from a variety of sources. That will continue. And the many other aviation weather services available from Jeppesen, The Weather Company and other providers arent going anywhere. In fact, if it wasnt for the success of DUATS, those other services might not exist, or might not be as ubiquitous as they are.

Editorial Staff

Monday, June 25, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The FAA discontinued its direct user access terminal service (DUATS) on May 16, 2018, after nearly 30 years of providing free flight-planning information.
Pilots are encouraged to use alternative services such as www.1800wxbrief.com, electronic flight bag (EFB) apps like ForeFlight, and aviationweather.gov for weather and aeronautical information.
The discontinuation is expected to have minimal impact on most users, as many already utilize more advanced and comprehensive weather services.
The FAA also issued new guidance (AC 90-66B) for non-towered airport flight operations, expanding details on midfield pattern entry and advising against the phrase "any traffic in the area, please advise."

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When the FAA’s direct user access terminal service (DUATS) first went on line in 1989, it was a big deal. Anyone with a 28.8 modem hooked to a computer could dial up an FAA-approved weather service and obtain their flight-planning information for free, without needing to speak with a human. It was a relatively slow, low-resolution service, but it worked.

We’ve all come a long way since then, but DUATS won’t be going any further. That’s because the FAA on May 16, 2018, discontinued the service operated through thewww.duats.com. web site.