# Holding Pattern Trainer — user reviews > 91 indexed App Store user reviews of Holding Pattern Trainer by FLEMINGER MEDIA LLC, rated 4.10/5 from 114 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holding-pattern-trainer/id456327713/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holding-pattern-trainer/id456327713.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 75 · 4★ 15 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 16 ## What do users think of Holding Pattern Trainer? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Great for practicing holds - 💡 Excellent visualization tool - 🚀 Helps learn fast - ✅ Accurate for many users - 🧠 Reinforces knowledge - 👨‍🏫 Useful for instructors - 📱 Convenient practice tool - 💯 Makes holds second nature - ✨ Simple and effective - 💡 Good for IFR training - 🎯 Resolves confusion - 👍 Helpful for refreshing skills - 💰 Good value for money - 😊 Fun study aid **Cons** - ❌ Incorrect entries/drawings - ⚠️ Wrong answers/info - 😞 Wastes valuable time - 💸 Overpriced for some - 🤔 Confusing for some users - 🚫 Developer unresponsiveness - 🪲 Bugs in visualization - 📈 Outdated app - 😵 Confusing terminology for some - 😵‍💫 Difficult to grasp - 📉 Not always accurate - 😵‍💫 Makes understanding worse **Commonly reported bugs** - Entries are wrong for turns - Plan view is incorrect - App drawing entries in wrong directions - Slicing the fix completely wrong - Bearing questions are wrong - App does not apply reciprocal track to 'pod' - Giving wrong answers - Visualizer is mirrored to map plan view (user confusion) - Practice screen plan view incorrect - App craps out and goes to a black screen - Guide lines separating direct, parallel, and teardrop incorrectly in practice mode visualization - Not updated for iOS 11 - App loads upside down - Button sensitivity could be better - Cannot change values on hold computer **Most requested features** - Include more methods in tutorial - Add teardrop heading to fly - Allow practice with bearings on/off - Show outbound teardrop/inbound parallel correction headings - Work in portrait mode - Add voice ATC instructions - More variety in questions - Larger text for older users - More tips for newbies - Ability to fly the hold like a nav trainer - Use real-life ATC phrases in exercises ## Newest reviews (12 of 91) ### 2/5 — Ap overall *2026-06-07, version 1.4.0* Does a good job at explaining the process. When you get one wrong there should be an explanation as to why it was wrong so you can learn how to do it better. ### 4/5 — Great app. Too expensive *2021-07-10* Perfect app for quick practice to make hold entries second nature. Their tutorial section should include more methods than just the one way of doing it. 4 stars only because it is $5 ### 4/5 — Great app! *2020-05-15, version 1.2* I love this app for assisting with holds. My only gripe is I’d like it to work in portrait mode, so it’s easier to read on my kneeboard. ### 5/5 — Great tool to learn fast! *2020-02-06* had my doubts after reading some reviews and the app being so old. But i just skipped the NDB part....long story short I became fast and confident in calculating my holds and entries just by practicing a few minutes everyday with this app. I don’t even need a pen or paper anymore, not to mention all the $$$ I saved not having to practice in flight! ### 5/5 — Good app *2019-12-15, version 1.2* I had a pretty good handle on holding pattern entries but this really reinforced it and made them second nature. Fun app. ### 5/5 — Great for practicing holds *2019-09-17, version 1.2* This is a great app for students who are trying to grok holds and for instructors who are teaching holds. I’m an active instructor and I find this app quite useful. ### 5/5 — Holds down in a day *2019-07-30* I have been struggling with holds in training. $5 and a few hours later I can picture the entry and the hold perfectly. Awesome app! ### 5/5 — This app has really helped me *2019-06-22* It's super convenient to just pull this app up and practice hold entries anytime you need to. It has been reliable and accurate for me. ### 4/5 — This app got me on track *2018-12-29* Saw some of the negative reviews, but read the responses and other positive reviews. THIS IS A GREAT APP. It’s important to read the hold instructions! If it states hold N on BEARING XXX TO (the “to” is critical) that is your inbound leg. If it says hold SE of the XXX VOR radial XXX, that is considered the outbound leg. After a few hours of practice and a lot of mistakes, it came together. Will continue to practice with the hopes that I can visualize this without drawing it out. My only reason for giving 4 stars and not 5 is that I think $5.99 is a bit over priced for an app that I won’t likely use after my check ride. ### 5/5 — Great for learning holds *2018-12-01, version 1.2* 👌🏻 ### 5/5 — Great tool *2018-09-03, version 1.2* Awesome tool for learning ### 5/5 — CFII *2018-06-27, version 1.2* Great app. Proper terminology. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Wrong Entries *2026-04-18, version 1.4.0* As a CFII, I thought this app would be great for practice for my students but it turns out that the Entries are wrong for the turns. I do not recommend. ### 1/5 — This app has mistakes! *2026-03-11, version 1.4.0* I even sent an email to the developer and they did not respond. I have decided they know and dont want to fix this. The practice screen seems ok, but then the plan view is incorrect. It has wasted valuable time. Do not purchase! ### 1/5 — Wrong answers *2025-05-31, version 1.4.0* At first I taught myself through this app, but soon realized after watching several YouTube videos and getting CFI instruction I realized this app is drawing the direct, teardrop, and parallel entries in the wrong directions. They’re slicing the fix completely wrong which has caused me so much confusion. I am having to unlearn some things. ### 1/5 — Don’t Download *2024-12-16, version 1.4.0* Don’t Download, very frustrating. Giving wrong answers. ### 1/5 — Wrong info *2024-05-01, version 1.3.0* The bearing questions are wrong. You’re supposed to apply the reciprocal track to the “pod”(70deg/110deg) used to figure out the hold entry. The app does not do that and gives you the opposite type of entry. The VOR questions are fine. ### 1/5 — $5 I’ll never get back *2023-07-16* Total joke. Question instructed me to hold S.E. of 155 radial left turns. Showed it to multiple commercial and CFI students and we’re all in agreement what the app is demonstrating is Southwest, not southeast. Total and complete waste of money. Just practice with a friend and learn to draw it on your own, it will be WAY easier to visualize and understand. It’s too bad, it could really be a cool product, but so far it’s just made my understanding of drawing and visualizing holds worse, not better. The hold entry demonstration is fine, but charging this much for something that’s only half accurate as far as drawing the actual holds go really pisses me off. I want my money back! ### 1/5 — This is no good *2020-02-25, version 1.2* I hate this up I have a better idea before I got till this app now got me all confused I agree the instructor is right this App can get you killed thay confusing all ### 1/5 — Trash. *2020-02-11* I’m a student. And I would say it’s a waste of money do not buy. I’m struggling to understand how the app is working ... but if my instructor tells me my heading and all the other info I can draw it out fine but this app I can’t seam to grasp. What it’s asking .... so I’m missing something because I keep getting wrong answers and idk what I’m missing or why I’m missing it.... wish their was a video to explain everything nicely. **Developer response:** Please contact me via pilotscafe.com/contact so I can help. Amir ### 1/5 — Don’t buy *2018-01-09, version 1.2* Total waste of money. ### 1/5 — Worthless *2017-11-17, version 1.1* I want my money back. I agree with the flight instructor. Totally wrong. And as a student I need the correct practice and easily followed steps on how to get there. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Best Holding pattern trainer *2025-10-30* Excellent tool. I wish I had found this app before. After battling with different methods. This has been the best , and easiest for me to learn about holdings and holding entries ### 5/5 — This will improve your Holds *2025-05-15, version 1.4.0* This app is an amazing tool to practice constructing holds. Simple yet very effective. I’d highly recommend it to anyone learning IFR ### 5/5 — Lmbex *2023-11-10, version 1.2* Great application!! Allows me to pre practice hold procedures prior to flight training sessions. ### 5/5 — Great App *2023-10-26* I was skeptical at first. But, I bought the app because the pilots café has an amazing IFR prep summary available for free. And seriously, with all the money we spend training in aviation the cost of this app is a no brainer. The app was extremely helpful for me in learning the pen method as well as drawing the hold. I think the holds are more difficult than would be experienced in real life. They often use radials and bearings, such as hold on the 347 radial. I think in real life you would get 340 or 350. Thanks for creating this awesome app! Great job, it has absolutely helped me. Bill ### 5/5 — Helpful for figuring out holding in your head *2023-09-02* Fun app to practice figuring out holding in your head. I’m a retired airline pilot renewing my CFII. 5 bucks is a no brainer. Don’t let the negative comments deter you from buying this. ### 5/5 — This app is perfect *2023-04-24* My skills were rusting and I fixated on an approach plate that involved a course reversal. This resolved my confusion about using a teardrop or parallel entry. The old adage “…fly a lot or don’t fly at all…” still holds true. Great app! Thank you. ### 5/5 — Very helpful! *2022-02-20* This is app super simple to use and is a really good hold trainer for visual learners. I used this to get refreshed for IFR training and now as a CFII, I use it with all of my students and it has been a great tool to help them better understand holding clearances. ### 5/5 — Perfect *2020-11-22* I already hold a IR however I am 3 years rusty. After doing this for about 30 or so minutes I started getting these fairly quick. I do have a base knowledge already so keep that in mind. ### 5/5 — Fantastic *2020-07-15, version 1.2* Amazing app. Combine it with the knowledge. And the simple. Rule. That determining the outbound heading. North, South, Southwest etc is always there approximate outbound heading and you will be on the road to success. ### 5/5 — Soon to be IFR rated! *2020-05-17, version 1.2* I have been struggling with holding patterns for a while, this app gave me a boost, now I am gaining some routine, hopefully proficient by the next time I fly! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-12.*