FLIGHT SERVICES

What FLIGHT SERVICES does

Leidos Flight Service (formerly Lockheed Martin Flight Services, rebranded in 2016 following Leidos's acquisition of Lockheed Martin's IS&GS business) operates the FAA-contracted flight briefing and flight planning platform 1800wxbrief.com under the Future Flight Service Program (FFSP). The service is provided free of charge to all US pilots — including general aviation, commercial operators, UAS/drone operators with FAA Certificates of Authorization, and flight instructors/students — and integrates FAA flight plan data, NWS weather products, NOTAMs, TFRs, G-AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and PIREPs into a unified web, mobile, SMS (358-782), voice assistant (Alexa/Google Assistant), and 24/7 phone (1-800-WX-BRIEF) platform.

The platform is anchored by three core products: NextGen Briefings (NGBv2) for standardized, abbreviated, outlook, and route briefings delivered via web, PDF, or email; an Interactive Weather Map with multi-layer overlays (radar, satellite, METARs, TAFs, GFA, winds aloft, turbulence, icing, controlled airspace, FIRs, ARTCC boundaries, NAVAIDs, weather cameras); and Flight Planning tools that support domestic and ICAO flight plan filing, altitude optimization, departure planning, and NavLog generation. Add-on services include the Adverse Condition Alerting Service (ACAS) for route-specific weather and NOTAM monitoring, Surveillance-Enhanced Search and Rescue (SE-SAR) integrating satellite tracking devices from Spidertracks, Garmin inReach, Globalstar, and Honeywell Sky Connect, and EasyActivate/EasyClose for email/SMS-based flight plan management. The platform sustains a bi-annual release cadence (Releases 10.26 through 11.7 from January 2023 through March 2026) and maintains bidirectional integrations with ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot for flight plan purposes.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial: Leidos Flight Service is a private subsidiary of Leidos Holdings (NYSE: LDOS) and operates under a single FAA prime contract with no direct end-user fees, no subscription tier, and no advertising. The only costs to users are standard carrier text message rates for SMS services. Revenue accrues to Leidos through the FFSP contract, which is not separately disclosed. Distribution is organic-only via the website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), FAA-co-developed WINGS pilot training courses (ALC-683 and ALC-889), and a structured Pilot Focus Group for product feedback. The competitive position is defined by statutory exclusivity as the sole FAA-authorized provider of preflight briefing services under FAR 91.103.

Name

FLIGHT SERVICES

Legal name

Leidos Flight Service

Website

https://1800wxbrief.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leidos Flight Service operates the FAA-contracted 1800wxbrief.com platform, providing free flight briefings, weather data, flight planning, adverse condition alerting, and search and rescue services to all US pilots, UAS operators, and flight instructors under the Future Flight Service Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government-funded public service: Leidos Flight Service is a federally funded free public service operated under contract with the FAA. The service is provided at no cost to all pilots. No revenue is generated from end users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leidos Flight Service operates a FAA-contracted free public aviation flight service delivering preflight weather briefings, interactive weather mapping, flight plan filing (domestic and ICAO), adverse condition alerts, aircraft position monitoring, and search-and-rescue coordination for U.S. pilots. The service is delivered via 1800wxbrief.com web platform, phone support (1-800-WX-BRIEF), SMS, voice assistants, and third-party aviation app integrations.

Product overview

Leidos Flight Service operates a comprehensive, web-based aviation services platform consisting of the NextGen Briefing (NGBv2) system, Interactive Weather Map, and Flight Planning tools as the core offerings. The platform provides flight briefings (Standard, Abbreviated, Outlook, Route), flight plan filing (domestic and ICAO), real-time weather graphics, and airport information. Advanced add-on services include Adverse Condition Alerting Service (ACAS) for automated adverse condition notifications, SE-SAR for satellite-based position monitoring and search and rescue, EasyActivate/EasyClose for electronic flight plan management, Preflight Summaries for activity notifications, Text Message Service for on-demand METAR/TAF/ACU requests, Automated Voice Service via Alexa/Google Assistant, Graphic Checklists for weather layer review, and ATC Notices for route change alerts. The platform supports both desktop and mobile web interfaces with Navigation Logs, UAS NOTAM management, and extensive weather chart products. The system integrates with third-party flight planning apps (ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot) and satellite communication devices (Garmin inReach, Globalstar, Spidertracks, Honeywell Sky Connect).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NextGen Briefing (NGBv2) The primary web-based flight briefing platform providing Standard, Abbreviated, Outlook, and Route briefings with customizable content including weather graphics, NOTAMs, TFRs, and adverse condition summaries in HTML, PDF, or email formats for U.S. pilots.
• Interactive Weather Map A dynamic mapping interface displaying weather overlays (radar, satellite, METARs, TAFs, GFA), NAVAIDs, airspace boundaries, TFRs, PIREPs, weather cameras, and route planning tools with altitude/time filtering and layer controls for pilots.
• Flight Planning & Briefing Form Web form for creating and filing domestic and ICAO flight plans, including Plan-a-Route, Evaluate Departure Time, Altitude Optimization, and Save as Favorite capabilities for pilots and commercial operators.
• Adverse Condition Alerting Service (ACAS) Automated alerting service that monitors filed flight plans and sends text/email notifications when adverse conditions (TFRs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, UAS areas, severe weather) arise along the planned route, with preflight and inflight alerting options.
• Surveillance-Enhanced Search & Rescue (SE-SAR) Position monitoring service for aircraft with registered satellite tracking devices. Flight Service monitors flight progress upon activation and initiates search and rescue if position reports stop or the aircraft stops moving.
• EasyActivate / EasyClose Electronic flight plan activation and closure service allowing pilots to activate or close VFR flight plans via email link or text message without calling Flight Service or logging into the website.
• Text Message Service (SMS) SMS-based service allowing pilots to request METARs, TAFs, and Adverse Condition Updates by texting codes to FLTSVC (358-782). Supports U.S. (358-782) and Canadian (855-934-0038) numbers and satellite phones.
• Automated Voice Service Voice-enabled briefing service available through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant skills, providing METARs, TAFs, Aviation Forecast Discussions (AFDs), and Adverse Condition Updates to pilots via smart home devices.
• Navigation Logs (NavLogs) Detailed navigational logs showing wind data, temperature, magnetic heading/course, distance, ground speed, fuel usage, and top of climb/descent locations, with kneeboard and full-page layout options for pilots.
• UAS NOTAM Form Web form for registered UAS operators with FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA) to create, amend, view, and manage UAS Operating Areas (UOAs) and submit associated NOTAMs to the FAA.
• Weather Graphics / Charts Comprehensive weather chart viewer providing CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean, Atlantic, Pacific, and South America products including Surface Analysis, Radar, Satellite, Winds Aloft, TCF, Icing, Turbulence, and GFA for pilots.
• Airport Information Pages Detailed airport data pages providing AWOS/ASOS frequencies, communication frequencies, diagrams, charts, NOTAMs, approaches, STARs, DPs, and satellite/aerial imagery for U.S. airports and heliports for pilots.
• Graphic Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) Graphical weather forecast products displayed on Interactive Map and in briefings including Flight Category, Ceiling, Visibility, Cloud Cover, Precipitation, Winds, Turbulence, Icing Severity, and Freezing Level, with time and altitude sliders for pilots.
• Preflight Summaries Automated notification service sending email summaries of all briefing and flight plan activities (requests, filings, amendments, activations, adverse condition updates, cancellations) chronologically upon ETD or flight plan cancellation to pilots.
• Departure Planning Tool Route planning tool allowing pilots to evaluate departure times based on forecasted TAF conditions along the route, showing adverse condition intersections on a departure timeline.
• Altitude Optimization Flight planning tool estimating wind effects at various altitudes for the planned route, calculating time enroute and fuel burn up to +/-4K feet of filed altitude to help pilots take advantage of favorable winds.
• Graphic Checklist Customizable checklist tool allowing pilots to define weather product layers to review on the Interactive Map, displaying only phenomena intersecting the route corridor and recording which layers have been viewed.
• ATC Notices Service Notification service monitoring ATC route changes on IFR flight plans and sending email or text alerts, including EasyAmend capability allowing pilots to amend flight plans to new ATC routes via a link without calling or logging in.
• Pilot History Online record of pilot transactions including briefings, flight plans, and website activities, retained for 45 days. Users can view, print, or download individual briefing records.
• Mobile Web A mobile-optimized version of the Flight Service website providing ICAO flight planning, briefings, NavLogs, interactive map, weather charts, and METAR/TAF/NOTAM tools accessible from smartphones and tablets for pilots.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SpidertrackscoreTechnology or IntegrationSpidertracks provides satellite-based position reporting devices that integrate with SE-SAR services. When registered, position reports are monitored automatically upon flight plan activation. If the aircraft stops moving or position reports cease, search and rescue procedures are initiated.
• Garmin (inReach)coreTechnology or IntegrationGarmin inReach devices (formerly DeLorme) support SE-SAR emergency (SOS) functionality and position monitoring. Users can receive ACAS alerts and close flight plans via Garmin inReach text messaging.
• GlobalstarcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobalstar satellite phones and devices are supported for SE-SAR tracking and SMS-based ACAS, METAR, TAF, and Adverse Condition Update services.
• Honeywell Sky ConnectcoreTechnology or IntegrationHoneywell Sky Connect product integrated with SE-SAR for surveillance-enhanced search and rescue capabilities.
• FAAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeidos operates Flight Service under contract with the FAA through the Future Flight Service Program (FFSP). All data collected is owned by the FAA and provided upon request. The FAA provides regulatory oversight and guidance.
• National Weather Service (NWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationWeather data and charts come from the National Weather Service and the Aviation Weather Center, providing the foundational weather information for all briefings and services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Garmin Pilot: Garmin Pilot is a competing EFB and flight planning platform that integrates with Leidos Flight Service for flight plan filing. Comparable because it serves the same pilot customers with overlapping weather briefing, flight planning, and filing functionality as a tablet/phone app.
• ForeFlight (Jeppesen, a Boeing subsidiary): ForeFlight is the leading electronic flight bag (EFB) and flight planning platform for US pilots, integrating weather, briefing, and flight plan filing via its Leidos Flight Service integration. It is the primary cockpit-side competitor that pilots use to access Flight Service briefings, making it the most directly comparable peer for the underlying flight planning workflow.

Emerging players

• AirNav RadarBox: AirNav RadarBox provides real-time flight tracking, weather, and aviation data services to pilots and operators. Comparable as a digital aviation data and weather services platform that increasingly competes for the pilot planning workflow that Leidos Flight Service supports.
• FlightAware: FlightAware is a flight tracking and aviation data platform owned by Collins Aerospace (RTX). Comparable because it serves pilots with real-time flight data, weather, and flight planning tools, increasingly overlapping with the weather and situational awareness features offered by Leidos Flight Service.
• FltPlan.com: FltPlan.com is a free web-based flight planning and weather briefing platform popular with general aviation pilots in the US. Comparable because it directly serves the same VFR/IFR pilot customer base with flight plan filing, weather briefings, and routing tools.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Weather & Aviation (Universal Avionics): Universal is a long-established provider of flight planning, weather briefing, and trip support services, primarily for business and commercial aviation. Comparable because it competes for the same pilot/customer base on the flight planning and weather briefing workflow, especially for IFR and international operations.
• Jeppesen (Boeing): Jeppesen is the historical incumbent provider of aeronautical charts, manuals, and flight planning services, now part of Boeing Digital Aviation. Comparable as a broader aviation information incumbent whose products and services overlap with the flight briefing and flight planning mission served by Leidos Flight Service.
• Honeywell GoDirect Flight Services: Honeywell provides flight planning, weather, and trip support services through its GoDirect platform, primarily for business aviation operators. Comparable because it overlaps with the flight planning, weather briefing, and inflight support mission Leidos Flight Service addresses, with Honeywell Sky Connect also being a SE-SAR integration partner.
• Collins Aerospace (RTX) Flight Services: Collins Aerospace, part of RTX, is a major federal and commercial aviation services provider with capabilities spanning flight planning, avionics, and air traffic management systems. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could compete for FAA flight service recompetitions and adjacent aviation modernization contracts.

Regional players

• AvPlan / AvPlan EFB: AvPlan is a popular iPad-based EFB and flight planning app with strong penetration in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe. Comparable because it offers integrated weather, briefing, and flight planning functionality for VFR/IFR pilots, representing a similar product category outside the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1800wxbrief
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4NCVjpkEtaBmab378HT8Hg
• Facebookfacebook.com/1800wxbrief
• Instagraminstagram.com/1800wxbrief_com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/flight-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FLIGHT SERVICES