See article below and PLEASE raise Hell w/ your Federal representatives.
Defunding of DUATS (Direct user Access Terminal Service) Imminent
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is attempting to defund a common safety program called
(DUATS). Two companies currently provide flight planning service, which includes FAA aviation weather
briefings and flight plan filing. This free service to pilots under contract to the FAA is in danger of being
defunded, placing the cost of running this service directly on the backs of pilots.
DUATS has been available to pilots as a free service since 1989, providing access over the internet and
even offers direct modem dial-in. DUATS has been the primary choice for pilots for pre-flight planning
instead of voice-calling Flight Service. DUATS service is accessible via common Web browsers and
mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets. In addition, both equipment manufacturers and third
party software vendors (such as WingX and iFlightPlanner) depend on all or part of the DUATS program
to provide pre and in-flight services to the pilot community. Their interface to DUATS provides them
and their users with assurance of their quality interface to the FAA NAS (National Airspace Systems).
As DUATS is a program built to strict FAA requirements and an approved source for pilots to receive
their required pre-flight briefings, doing away with this service presents a possible safety issue. The FAA
does not certify or directly approve any other sites available to the public. Without DUATS, this will
require pilots to evaluate other sources of weather to insure that they meet the FAA’s requirement. The
DUATS program is also the only online flight planning service that provides complete recording of all
pilot online session activities as well as the provided output. This information is available to the FAA
within seconds, providing critical information for Search and Rescue as well as follow-up investigations
on preflight planning activities.
From a tax payers’ standpoint, the FAA DUATS program is a transaction-based competitive contract,
which is one of the most innovative and cost-effective programs in the FAA. Two vendors, in
competition for market share, continuously innovate and update technology at no cost to the FAA --
benefiting both tax payers and pilots. The approximately $10 million required to operate the program is
a small price to pay for the benefits that it provides to the flying community. According to a FAA study
in 2013, DUATS provides over 130 million weather and NOTAM briefings, flight planner generated logs,
and flight plans filed as well as other valuable services per year to the aviation community (at a cost of
$0.08/activity). In contrast, the current Flight Service Station program, supporting only the lower 48
States - provides 4.6 million activities per year, at a cost of $140 million per year (cost of $30/activity).
As a tax payer -- one needs to ask the question -- Why defund DUATS and keep the Flight Services
program fully funded at a cost of more than 14 times what DUATS costs the tax payers?
Please help DUATS, by contacting your Congressional representatives, and asking them to support the
continued funding of DUATS -- It is the safe and cost-effective way of supporting the General Aviation
community.
