iFlightPlanner has just learned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded a new contract for the Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS) to Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) and Lockheed Martin. This contract to provide self-serve, automated flight services was previously held by CSC and Data Transformation Corporation (DTC).
iFlightPlanner’s comprehensive, freely-accessible suite of tools available at iFlightPlanner.com, mobile.iFlightPlanner.com and in iFlightPlanner for iPad will not be affected as iFlightPlanner will continue to leverage its connection to the National Airspace System (NAS) through CSC. Additional functionality offered by Lockheed Martin will be explored.
In October 2014 the FAA made a subtle announcement (Special Notice 18341) that it would conduct a limited competition to replace the expiring contracts with CSC and DTC. The competition for “DUATS II” between CSC, DTC, and Lockheed Martin was due to the fact that there was not adequate time, an estimated 6-9 months, for additional bidders to achieve the necessary FAA Security Certification & Authorization necessary to be operational in the NAS. According to the original notice, only the three current systems could meet the proposed requirements of the DUATS II contract, were compliant with existing FAA security requirements, and would be able to be fully operational at the time of award.
Many of the flight planning solutions available today, including iFlightPlanner, found their footing on the DUATS platforms offered by CSC and DTC. While pilots have been able to access DUATS directly since it was first introduced in 1989, each company has since introduced programming interfaces that allow third-party companies who specialize in the development of innovative flight planning solutions for the web and/or tablets to connect to the NAS. This redundancy put CSC and DTC in competition with each other for transaction-based funding per their original contract.
The new DUATS II contacts are for a one (1) one-year base period with four (4) one-year options. It should be noted that the requirements of DUATS II are expected to be incorporated into the new Flight Service Station (FSS) contract that is to be competed and subsequently awarded in the third-quarter of 2017. More information about the FAA’s Flight Service program is available at faa.gov/go/flightservice.
Pilots who currently plan routes, retrieve certified weather briefs, and file flight plans on the DUATS platform are encouraged to visit iFlightPlanner.com as a recommended alternative. iFlightPlanner Free memberships are available with no obligation and allow pilots to leverage iFlightPlanner’s cloud-based flight planning technology across all of its web and mobile-based platforms, including iFlightPlanner for iPad. Each new membership includes a one-time, 30-day free trial to iFlightPlanner Premium Plus.
About iFlightPlanner
iFlightPlanner is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan and features a comprehensive flight planning solution for private and corporate pilots that can be accessed from any computer or iPad. Built on a foundation of safety, usability and flight planning efficiency, iFlightPlanner.com, mobile.iFlightPlanner.com and iFlightPlanner for iPad wirelessly sync via the iFlightPlanner Cloud to ensure that pilots have seamless access to everything they need to confidently make sound flying decisions. With continued feedback from the aviation community, iFlightPlanner’s integrated approach to flight planning has made it the premier cloud-based flight planning solution for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike!
