Duats terminating

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drotto

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drotto
Just got the email that duats is going away. I apologize if this has been asked already, but what website and what links will be the best for filing IFR going forward. Especially using programs like Foreflight?
 
drotto said:
Just got the email that duats is going away. I apologize if this has been asked already, but what website and what links will be the best for filing IFR going forward. Especially using programs like Foreflight?
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File within FF? Using Leidos (800-WX-BRIEF)

Been working well for me so far.
 
drotto said:
Just got the email that duats is going away. I apologize if this has been asked already, but what website and what links will be the best for filing IFR going forward. Especially using programs like Foreflight?
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Never heard of her lol

But legit between fltplan and foreflight, if had one chit to give, and I broke it in half, I wouldn't give half a chit.
 
drotto said:
Just got the email that duats is going away. I apologize if this has been asked already, but what website and what links will be the best for filing IFR going forward. Especially using programs like Foreflight?
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You can file right inside of FF.
 
There was a DUATS booth at SNF. Probably the loneliest booth there. I felt sorry for the guys.
 
Half Fast said:
There was a DUATS booth at SNF. Probably the loneliest booth there. I felt sorry for the guys.
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I noticed that too. I didn't have time to chat with them, but either they 1) have something else planned after the FAA contract expires, or 2) the DUATS contract required manditory outreach to events such as SnF and Airventure.
 
When I tried to use DUATS about a week ago, it was malfunctioning, so I had to go over to the Leidos site.
 
DUATS is my primary filing and flight plan winding source. Looks like they're sending folks over to 1800wxbrief.com. The UI seems pretty similar. Shouldn't be a game changer for me as long as it allows free flight planner and filer.
 
I will hate to see it go, I always use it to get a good idea of what kind of weather I will be dealing with, then always call to get an updated briefing and actually file. I could use other ways to do everything electronically, but I choose not to. I am sure in time I will get used to the 1-800-wxbrief site in time, but not looking forward to learning a new site.
 
I thought foreflight was using your DUATS acct info to transmit the flight plan? How does that work now?
 
danhagan said:
I thought foreflight was using your DUATS acct info to transmit the flight plan? How does that work now?
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They've had the direct to Leidos option for a while now, just like Garmin Pilot and others. Not sure if there's a setting or you just need to delete your DUATS account info.
 
QUOTE="eetrojan, post: 2501416, member: 10823"]Out of curiosity, why?[/QUOTE]

Over priced due to marketing and not user friendly.
 
Clip4 said:
QUOTE="eetrojan, post: 2501416, member: 10823"]Out of curiosity, why?
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Over priced due to marketing and not user friendly.[/QUOTE]

Not user friendly? ForeFlight? I guess it depends on how friendly is the user. ;) Some have a grudge to bear, others seem to barely care. :)
 
Back before these internets 1 800 wx brief about had the market cornered for much of one’s flight prep. Now we’re all split up doing our own thing on various sites and cell connections. Some year we’ll be reminiscing about how they actually used to have pilots in the cockpit, technology marches on.
 
Lachlan said:
Over priced due to marketing and not user friendly.
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Not user friendly? ForeFlight? I guess it depends on how friendly is the user. ;) Some have a grudge to bear, others seem to barely care. :)[/QUOTE]

There are 6 videos on Foreflight to teach people how to use that brick.
 
Clip4 said:
Not user friendly? ForeFlight? I guess it depends on how friendly is the user. ;) Some have a grudge to bear, others seem to barely care. :)
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There are 6 videos on Foreflight to teach people how to use that brick.[/QUOTE]

Are you saying it's so complicated that it took 6 videos to teach you how to use it? Ok, it's probably not for everyone. Most people find it relatively intuitive to use, but not everyone thinks the same or has the same experiences using apps. The nice part is that you don't have to use it if you don't want to use it. You can badmouth it all you want; it's not going away. ;)
 
Half Fast said:
There was a DUATS booth at SNF. Probably the loneliest booth there. I felt sorry for the guys.
Click to expand...

You missed out. I spend 2 hours talking to them and the NOAA guys at Oshkosh last year. Learned a bunch.
 
I've started getting to know the Leidos briefing site, but I'm having trouble finding all of the graphic replacements for the area forecast. I was having better luck with DUATS, so I'm sorry to see it go.
 
Oh, I said hello. They told me they were only there because the booth had been paid for last year and they thought the might as well see SNF before they shut down.
 
Palmpilot said:
I've started getting to know the Leidos briefing site, but I'm having trouble finding all of the graphic replacements for the area forecast. I was having better luck with DUATS, so I'm sorry to see it go.
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I prefer the FF briefings. I only like Leidos for the scheduled email updates and the text open-close feature.
 
Lachlan said:
There are 6 videos on Foreflight to teach people how to use that brick.
Click to expand...

Are you saying it's so complicated that it took 6 videos to teach you how to use it? Ok, it's probably not for everyone. Most people find it relatively intuitive to use, but not everyone thinks the same or has the same experiences using apps. The nice part is that you don't have to use it if you don't want to use it. You can badmouth it all you want; it's not going away. ;)[/QUOTE]

I never suggested it go away. Products like FF are need for those with zero SA bit can learn software easily.
 
I actually spent some time with the DTC Duat people before their contract got terminated a few years ago. IMHO, their App was the best...no fluff or fancy graphics. Worked great for low bandwidth and you could literally plan, brief and file with one hand, then store the results for off line viewing. I was sad to see it go, because the CSC products were slowwwwwww....

Anyway, what I learned was DUAT(S) was not directly interfaced into ATC nor utilized FAA resources. It was simply a portal from which you could send/receive information. When you filed a flight plan via DUAT(S), it got stored on their computer, and only about 30 minutes prior to departure did it get sent to the FAA ATC system. That's why once inside that time, you could ONLY make changes with FSS or ATC.

Leidos, on the other hand, IS FSS....just the privatized version of it, and they have direct access to the ATC system. They make their interface available to third parties, which is why Garmin and FF can directly file, amend and cancel flightplans through that system. Because of that, DUAT(S) became fully redundant.

The problem, as I see it, is the Leidos website is a HUGE bandwidth hog and slooooowwww. It's not optimized in anyway for mobile viewing, and it's essentially a duplication of the system actual briefers use. It is actually faster and easier just to get a voice briefing. I asked them about this at SnF this year, and they say a new website is in the works that is mobile friendly.

With the transition of clearances to the individual ATC units via phone numbers listed in the chart supplement (or RCOs), the bubble of services Leidos provides is rapidly shrinking.
 
Clip4 said:
Are you saying it's so complicated that it took 6 videos to teach you how to use it? Ok, it's probably not for everyone. Most people find it relatively intuitive to use, but not everyone thinks the same or has the same experiences using apps. The nice part is that you don't have to use it if you don't want to use it. You can badmouth it all you want; it's not going away. ;)
Click to expand...

I never suggested it go away. Products like FF are need for those with zero SA bit can learn software easily.[/QUOTE]

Sure, some people will use FF as their sole means of "getting around up there," but I think the vast majority of users find that it augments their SA, rather than detracts from it. We're all entitled to our opinions, but yours seems to be that FF has no place in an airplane during flight. That's ok. I'm sure you're a very competent pilot without it, as are many, many other pilots. For those that choose to use it to enhance or contribute to their SA and decision making, I hope they do so in a manner that does not distract them from flying the airplane. In my not-at-all-humble opinion, it's no harder to use FF in flight than it is to program a 430 or similar, or navigate using a VOR. Clip, be thankful that you have the knowledge and skills (and/or equipment in your aircraft) that allow you to fly without needing to rely on additional tools like FF on an iPad. People don't all have the same strengths. Or weaknesses. ;)
 
Lachlan said:
I never suggested it go away. Products like FF are need for those with zero SA bit can learn software easily.
Click to expand...

Sure, some people will use FF as their sole means of "getting around up there," but I think the vast majority of users find that it augments their SA, rather than detracts from it. We're all entitled to our opinions, but yours seems to be that FF has no place in an airplane during flight. That's ok. I'm sure you're a very competent pilot without it, as are many, many other pilots. For those that choose to use it to enhance or contribute to their SA and decision making, I hope they do so in a manner that does not distract them from flying the airplane. In my not-at-all-humble opinion, it's no harder to use FF in flight than it is to program a 430 or similar, or navigate using a VOR. Clip, be thankful that you have the knowledge and skills (and/or equipment in your aircraft) that allow you to fly without needing to rely on additional tools like FF on an iPad. People don't all have the same strengths. Or weaknesses. ;)[/QUOTE]

I don’t need all the bells and whistles and a $150+ annual subscription for SA, traffic and some wx.
 
eetrojan said:
Thanks. Do you use regular charts, or a different program to prepare, or in flight? If so, which one(s)?
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WX, skycharts, IFly, and from way back Jeppesen Flight Deck, which was the first available back in the day.
 
Richman67 said:
I actually spent some time with the DTC Duat people before their contract got terminated a few years ago. IMHO, their App was the best...no fluff or fancy graphics. Worked great for low bandwidth and you could literally plan, brief and file with one hand, then store the results for off line viewing. I was sad to see it go, because the CSC products were slowwwwwww....
Click to expand...

I liked DTC DUAT for its low use of network resources. If all you had was the modem connected PC in the FBO lounge to get weather, that was a good thing.
 
TRocket said:
I will hate to see it go, I always use it to get a good idea of what kind of weather I will be dealing with, then always call to get an updated briefing and actually file. I could use other ways to do everything electronically, but I choose not to. I am sure in time I will get used to the 1-800-wxbrief site in time, but not looking forward to learning a new site.
Click to expand...
So will I. It’s one of my favorite resources for weather. Always found it to be informative and I liked how the data was grouped together. Oh well, guess I’ll be going over to the new site.

Maybe I missed it, but what’s the purpose for the discontinuation? Seems like one of those ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ type of things.
 
Ryanb said:
Maybe I missed it, but what’s the purpose for the discontinuation? Seems like one of those ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ type of things.
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Leidos paying off the right guy at the FAA is the reason.
 
I hung out and met the GTE DUATS folks and gawked at the mainframe way back in the day. Or at least the portions of it that were visible in their little work area.

They were literally next door to the lab in the basement of one of the buildings in Chantilly, VA where I was working on certifying the ATC telecom gear that we were installing under GTE as a contractor back then.

GTE engineer all of a sudden acts like a lightbulb goes off the second day I’m there and says, “Hey, didn’t you mention that you fly airplanes once on the phone? Follow me, there’s some folks next door you might like to meet.”

I was amazed at how small the little room they were all in was, about eight desks. Everyone was nice and we chatted for a bit about aviation stuff. Was a fun little pre-lunch excursion.

Never could figure out why GTE wanted to do JFK as the first site to go online with our gear and new software/firmware back then. We were Denver based, of course, and told them we could do ZDV first which was only a 40 minute drive from our offices if something went horribly wrong and we needed spare parts or even if the system had some unknown problem once we cut over to the new software, but they said no...

Screwing up the NYC airspace for exactly one half hour at midnight on a Saturday night was our maintenance window and no more. And we had a sliding window if a wind shift was expected to roll through in the 00:00-00:30 Local time window, that could go as late as 01:30-02:00 but after that we were all getting fined under the terms of the FAA contract.

We got it right the first time and the outage was 00:00 to 00:14 as I recall. I was kinda stressed about such things back then.

Biggest downside of working with them was they were on per diem and I was on a standard expense report. They’d pick the absolute most awful cheap hotels and then call and tell me where we were all staying since we’d buddy up on the rental car. Ugh. That craptacular hotel they picked with the semi-empty courtyard swimming pool near JFK was just ... stellar.

Anyway. Nice folks at DUATS back the day. And the Cafeteria food at the massive Chantilly GTE site wasn’t too awful. Was definitely cheap.
 
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