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DUATS vs Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

DUATS logo

DUATS

Aviation

FAA Direct User Access Terminal System for flight briefings

From
$9.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D logo

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Aviation

Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DUATS service has been discontinued as of May 2018; Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • They diverge on capability: DUATS covers Flight briefings, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DUATS and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D actually diverge.

Attributes where DUATS and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D differ
AttributeDUATSLockheed Martin Prepar3D
Starting price$9.95/month$9.99/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Vr
Founded19902010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Aviation).

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 planning
  • Flight filing
  • NOTAMs
  • FAA systems
  • Weather services
  • Chart databases

Only in Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Flight simulation
  • Aircraft systems
  • Realistic physics
  • Training scenarios
  • Performance analysis
  • Hardware controllers
  • VR systems
  • Motion platforms

Both cover

  • Data encryption

What people use each for

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

DUATS

  • Flight briefingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Flight planningnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Flight filingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Weather briefingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Pilot trainingnot DUATS
  • Type rating trainingnot DUATS
  • Proficiency maintenancenot DUATS
  • Scenario trainingnot DUATS
  • Aircraft developmentnot DUATS

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

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • High system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • Expensive Professional and Professional Plus licenses for commercial and business use
  • Limited backward compatibility with older 32-bit aircraft modules
  • SimDirector scenario creation tool requires programming knowledge for advanced customization

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

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

$9.99/month
  • Standard$9.99/month
    • Flight simulation
    • Basic aircraft
    • Training tools
  • Professional$99.99/month
    • Advanced simulation
    • Full aircraft systems
    • Advanced training

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 Lockheed Martin Prepar3D if

  • You need flight simulation.
  • You work on Windows, Vr.
  • You also want aircraft systems.
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D review

Questions people ask

Is DUATS or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D better?
Neither clearly leads. DUATS starts at $9.95/month and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DUATS or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D?
DUATS starts at $9.95/month and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month.
Does DUATS or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D run on more platforms?
DUATS runs on Web, Ios, Android. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr.
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 planning are not what Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is typically brought in for.
What can DUATS do that Lockheed Martin Prepar3D cannot?
DUATS covers Flight briefings, Weather data, Flight planning, Flight filing. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. Both handle Data encryption.

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
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the license options for Prepar3D?

Prepar3D offers three license tiers: Personal ($59.95) for personal training and K-12 education, Professional ($350) for professional pilot training and commercial uses, and Professional Plus ($2,750) for businesses with advanced features. Developer monthly licenses are available at $9.99 and $50 for Professional and Professional Plus respectively.

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
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the system requirements?

Prepar3D v6 requires approximately 85 GB storage, 32 GB RAM or more for optimal performance, 8 GB or more VRAM, and a DX12-capable GPU with 64-bit architecture. Detailed scenery and aircraft add-ons can significantly increase storage and performance requirements.

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
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Can I create custom training scenarios?

Yes. Prepar3D includes SimDirector, a scenario generation tool that allows users to create training scenarios across aviation, maritime, and ground domains. Users can place world objects, define scenario logic, create missions, and provide instruction sessions, making it suitable for cockpit training, flight planning, and emergency response preparation.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Is Prepar3D compatible with third-party add-ons?

Prepar3D v5 and v6 maintain compatibility with many Microsoft Flight Simulator X add-ons. However, 32-bit aircraft modules are not compatible with 64-bit Prepar3D versions, and third-party add-ons must be updated for the specific Prepar3D version being used.

Source
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