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DUATS vs PFPX Flight Planning

DUATS logo

DUATS

Software

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

PFPX Flight Planning

Software

Real-world flight simulation flight planning

From
$79.99/lifetime
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; PFPX Flight Planning the Internet Archive's capture of pfpx.com on 7 December 2018 carried the vendor's own notice that 'The URL of the PFPX homepage has changed to www.flightsimsoft.com'; the 2021 capture of flightsimsoft.com confirms PFPX (Professional Flight Planner X) is sold by FSS GmbH alongside a second product, TOPCAT, though the linked Pricing page was not itself archived.
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, PFPX Flight Planning covers Aircraft data.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and PFPX Flight Planning actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and PFPX Flight Planning differ
AttributeDUATSPFPX Flight Planning
Starting price$9.95/month$79.99/lifetime
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows
Founded19902007

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DUATS

  • Flight briefings
  • Weather data
  • Flight filing
  • FAA systems
  • Weather services
  • Chart databases
  • ATC integration
  • FAA approved

Only in PFPX Flight Planning

  • Aircraft data
  • Weather analysis
  • Fuel calculation
  • Route optimization
  • Flight simulators
  • Real weather
  • Charts
  • Scenery

Both cover

  • Flight planning
  • NOTAMs

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DUATS

  • Flight briefingnot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Flight planning
  • Flight filingnot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Weather briefingnot PFPX Flight Planning

PFPX Flight Planning

  • Flight planning
  • Realistic simulationnot DUATS
  • VA operationsnot DUATS
  • Trainingnot DUATS

Both are used for flight planning, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DUATS

  • Service has been discontinued as of May 2018
  • No longer available for flight planning or briefing

PFPX Flight Planning

  • The Internet Archive's capture of pfpx.com on 7 December 2018 carried the vendor's own notice that 'The URL of the PFPX homepage has changed to www.flightsimsoft.com'; the 2021 capture of flightsimsoft.com confirms PFPX (Professional Flight Planner X) is sold by FSS GmbH alongside a second product, TOPCAT, though the linked Pricing page was not itself archived.

Pricing, plan by plan

DUATS

$9.95/month
  • Basic$9.95/month
    • Flight briefings
    • Weather data
    • Flight planning
  • Premium$29.95/month
    • All Basic features
    • Advanced weather
    • Priority briefings

PFPX Flight Planning

$79.99/lifetime
  • PFPX Standard$79.99/lifetime
    • Flight planning
    • Real aircraft data
    • Weather integration

Which should you pick?

Choose DUATS if

  • You need flight briefings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weather data.
DUATS review

Choose PFPX Flight Planning if

  • You need aircraft data.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want weather analysis.
PFPX Flight Planning review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or PFPX Flight Planning better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and PFPX Flight Planning at $79.99/lifetime, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or PFPX Flight Planning?
DUATS starts at $9.95/month and PFPX Flight Planning at $79.99/lifetime.
Does DUATS or PFPX Flight Planning run on more platforms?
DUATS runs on Web, Ios, Android. PFPX Flight Planning runs on Windows.
What is DUATS best used for?
DUATS is most often used for flight briefing, flight planning, flight filing, weather briefing. Of those, flight briefing and flight filing are not what PFPX Flight Planning is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that PFPX Flight Planning cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight filing, FAA systems. PFPX Flight Planning covers Aircraft data, Weather analysis, Fuel calculation, Route optimization. Both handle Flight planning, NOTAMs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DUATS: Is DUATS still available?

No. The FAA discontinued the Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS II) on May 16, 2018.

Source
DUATS: Did DUATS cost money?

No. DUATS was free to all registered U.S. pilots and student pilots holding a current medical certificate.

Source
DUATS: What replaced DUATS?

Pilots now access internet-based weather, aeronautical information, and flight plan filing through the FAA flight service website at no charge.

Source
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