Authentication

So that you may begin to test integration with our web services, Leidos will create your vendor account in the Flight Service test lab. You will receive an email directing you to change the password at 1800wxbrief.com. Please use our test website to change your password: https://ffspelabs.leidos.com/Website2/#!/.

This email and password will be used as authorization for your web service requests. You can request a password reset at any time by clicking on the associated "Reset Password" link on the Flight Service test or operational website. but you will also need to update the authentication for sending HTTP web service requests.

One of the more common problems people have with their the first web service request is with authentication.  The Leidos Flight Service web services use Basic HTTP authentication with Base64 encoding with preemptive authentication.  As an example, given an email address and password me@letmein.com:MyPassw0rd!, you can run the following command in Linux to get the base64 encoding:

$ echo -n 'me@letmein.com:MyPassw0rd!' | base64
bWVAbGV0bWVpbi5jb206TXlQYXNzdzByZCE=

Once you have the output from this command, you can then include it in the --header command for your curl command to make the website request (Note the --header parameter with the string from above)

$ /usr/bin/curl -k -A "Mozilla/5.0" -i --header "Authorization: Basic bWVAbGV0bWVpbi5jb206TXlQYXNzdzByZCE=" --data "type=DOMESTIC&flightRules=VFR&aircraftIdentifier=TTTDEMO&departure=HOU&destination=MIA&departureInstant=2015-03-13T00:53:00.0&flightDuration=PT1H30M&route=LEV%20Q102%20CYY%20SSCOT&altDestination1=LAX&altDestination2=SEA&aircraftType=P28A&numberOfAircraft=3&heavyWakeTurbulence=true&aircraftEquipment=G&remarks=This%20is%20a%20domestic%20flight%20plan%20test&speedKnots=100&altitudeFL=35&fuelOnBoard=PT20H0M&pilotData=PILOT%20INFO&peopleOnBoard=1&aircraftColor=W" "https://[Operational or Test Environment URL]/rest/FP/file" -v

HTTP Request Headers

For sending web services, please ensure that your application is configured to use the following HTTP request headers:

•  "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded”

Password Reset and Alias Accounts

Your web service vendor account username and password must match your Flight Service website username and password. If you reset your Flight Service website password, then you must update your web service account credentials.

Alias Accounts

To prevent disruption to your web service requests when your password needs to be reset, we can set up an alias account for your application in the test lab and in operations. You can use the alias account to file web services while the primary vendor account password is being reset. If you would like this setup, email R-FFSP-WebServicesSupport@leidos.com.

Credentialed Web Services

Using credentialed web services means that when you send a web service request, you include the Flight Service username of the pilot:

webUserName=<pilot account>

This requires the pilot to authorize you to file, brief, or perform other web service requests on their behalf. Without this authorization, you will get an error message in the web service response. You can try this out in our test environment. For more information on how to set this up, go to: Service Provider Authorization.