Definition
DUATS was an FAA-funded service that allowed pilots to obtain official preflight weather briefings and file flight plans directly through a computer connection, without speaking to a Flight Service briefer. The service was discontinued in May 2018, and its functions were absorbed by Leidos Flight Service (1800wxbrief.com) and other FAA-approved providers.
Plain English
A retired FAA computer service that let pilots get their weather briefings and file flight plans online by themselves, instead of phoning a briefer. Pilots now use 1800wxbrief.com or similar approved websites for the same purpose.
Context Anchor
Seen in older preflight planning and NOTAM discussions, especially where the handbook describes ways pilots could obtain official flight information before departure.
Derivation
The name describes the service plainly: 'Direct' (the pilot connects directly), 'User Access' (the user reaches the system themselves), 'Terminal Service' (a computer terminal connection). It dates from an era when 'terminal' meant a text-based screen used to dial into a remote computer.
Why Pilots Care
Provided fast access to safety information required for legal and safe flight planning.
Intuition Check
Do not assume DUATS is a current service you can still use. In this context, it names a former official FAA-supported preflight information system.
Example Sentence 1
Older training manuals tell pilots to use DUATS for a preflight briefing, but today the same briefing is obtained through 1800wxbrief.com.
Example Sentence 2
DUATS delivered METARs and TAFs directly to the pilot's computer during preflight.