AOPA Edition Issue No. 110 June 2014 Innovation -The DUAT program has been a competitive program since the late eighties. The DUAT providers that are selected by the FAA are paid for by the FAA based strictly on usage by the pilots. Both vendors are in competition for market share and to increase usage. Adding new and innovative technology is the best way to do it. The DUAT program has brought new technology throughout the years from being the first weather service on the Internet to providing support for today's mobile devices. All of this has been bought to you the pilot with no cost to you or the FAA!! The innovation has been a product of a competitive marketplace. 3rd party providers Most third party providers use the DUATS vendors behind the scenes to provide the pilot with aviation weather and/or flight plan filing. CSC DUATS is under threat of FAA cancellation. Please go to The DUATS vendors have made it easy and free for those 3rd party providers to implement their own user interfaces to supour web page at www.duats.com and click on the link shown port the pilot community. The presence of a strong 3rd party in the screenshot above. This link will tell you how you can market gives the pilots more choices in obtaining briefing and help save DUATS by contacting your Senator and Congressflight planning that fit their needs. Without the DUATS venman as well as other flying organizations. The link will also dors, many 3rd party providers may go out of business or have provide addresses as well as suggested form letters that you to increase any charges for usage as they will have to look for can use to contact your representatives and organizations. alternate sources of weather, Notams and flight plan filing acBenefits of a continuing DUATS program cess. DUATS needs your Help!! Choice of free WX and flight planning providers - The DUATs program is the only program available to the pilot community that is built to strict FAA specifications, tested continuously by the FAA and paid for fully by the FAA. Currently, the FAA awarded DUATS contracts to two vendors - CSC and DTC. Briefings obtained from DUATs vendors are considered to have fully met your preflight briefing requirements and are recorded to provide proof if needed. Please remember to visit the link shown in the screenshot above for a list of more benefits and details on how to help. New Feature - VFR Flight Plan Closure Reminders sent to your Mobile Phone !! This new feature will allow you to request an email or text reminder to be sent to your mobile device when your VFR flight plan is due to be closed. Once you receive the reminder, you will be able to close it simply by replying to your email . (continued on back)http://www.duats.com