# IFD Trainer

> Realistic flight simulator for exploring Avidyne Flight Management Systems. (iPhone/iPad app by Avidyne.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifd-trainer/id1170084784 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Avidyne](https://appshunter.io/developer/876452179)
- Category: Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 88 App Store ratings · 56 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 121 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2017-03-06
- Data updated: 2026-09-09
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifd-trainer/id1170084784/reviews.md

## What is IFD Trainer?

Avidyne’s IFD Trainer is a flight simulator that provides a realistic environment for exploration of Avidyne’s Flight Management Systems. 

	•	Get acquainted with the nuances of your Avidyne IFD. 
	•	Explore other Avidyne IFDs. 
	•	Seamlessly integrate IFD Trainer with the IFD100 app for a big-glass, home-based training experience.

From within the app, access free Demo data for navigation, digital charts, terrain, obstacles, and map data. Or, keep the IFD Trainer and IFD100 data consistent with the latest avionics cycle using your qualified Jeppesen account.

IFD Trainer mimics the latest features available in Avidyne’s line of IFDs. Whether you’re an Avidyne pilot learning your IFD or if you’re considering an Avidyne IFD yourself, the IFD Trainer provides you with realistic scenarios to experience the simplicity of design that makes entering and changing your flight plan quick and easy. Pair the IFD Trainer with the IFD100 app for a big-glass, home-based training experience.

## Key features

- Realistic flight simulation environment
- Explore Avidyne IFD models
- Practice flight plan entry and changes
- Integrate with IFD100 app
- Access free demo navigation and map data
- Use qualified Jeppesen data

## What do users think of IFD Trainer?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Great for learning IFD
- 👍 Excellent representation of IFD
- 👍 Useful for practice
- 👍 Familiarity builds competence
- 👍 Good for pre-flight planning
- 👍 Flattens learning curve
- 👍 Simulates panel device
- 👍 Works with IFD100 app

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Does not load correctly
- 🐛 Poor graphics
- 🐛 No databases
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 🐛 Crashes on startup
- 🐛 Useless without database
- 🐛 Simulator stinks
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Hard to use
- 🐛 Not too great
- 🐛 Worthless
- 🐛 Problematic
- 🐛 Previous app better
- 🐛 Junk trainers
- 🐛 Fairly useless
- 🐛 Does not work on iPad2
- 🐛 Not a good app
- 🐛 Freezes the iPad
- 🐛 Can’t control simulator altitude
- 🐛 Heading up not working
- 🐛 Needs updating
- 🐛 No connection to X-plane
- 🐛 Terrible app
- 🐛 Does goofy things
- 🐛 Won’t do setup correctly
- 🐛 Almost wish I hadn’t bought Avidyne
- 🐛 Poor app
- 🐛 Pretty useless
- 🐛 Terribly difficult to use
- 🐛 Needs documentation
- 🐛 Still crashes the iPad
- 🐛 Memory issues
- 🐛 Course slider covered
- 🐛 Not usable
- 🐛 Demo app stuck at zero altitude
- 🐛 Lousy documentation
- 🐛 Stupid update
- 🐛 Hard to use knobs
- 🐛 Tutorials don't match unit
- 🐛 Flight plan tutorial mismatch
- 🐛 Can’t fly lesson
- 🐛 Too frustrating
- 🐛 Doesn’t work
- 🐛 Can’t get it to start
- 🐛 Altitude control missing on Mac
- 🐛 Simulator useless
- 🐛 Won’t climb
- 🐛 Can’t track autopilot
- 🐛 Won’t track FMS
- 🐛 Artificial traffic alerts
- 🐛 Terrain alerts
- 🐛 Barely usable for training
- 🐛 Where is PC version?
- 🐛 Frustrating
- 🐛 Can’t save flight plans
- 🐛 Inputs difficult
- 🐛 Not enough memory
- 🐛 Not stable
- 🐛 Can’t figure out IFD440
- 🐛 Needs TLC before release
- 🐛 Not capturing altitudes
- 🐛 Unusable until bugs fixed
- 🐛 Crashing constantly
- 🐛 Annoying to set location
- 🐛 Brittle app
- 🐛 Useless without database
- 🐛 Requires Jeppesen account
- 🐛 No database loaded
- 🐛 Does not work on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Input lag
- 🐛 Graphics poor
- 🐛 Setup incorrect
- 🐛 Uninstalled and reinstalled many times
- 🐛 No change
- 🐛 Crashes right after starting
- 🐛 Shows "establishing communication"
- 🐛 Immediately closes app
- 🐛 Really poor graphics
- 🐛 Hate the trainer
- 🐛 Pretty useless really
- 🐛 Still reads no databases
- 🐛 Awesome app
- 🐛 Superb functionality
- 🐛 Makes learning pleasant
- 🐛 Truly emulates real deal
- 🐛 Extends usability
- 🐛 Extends functionality
- 🐛 Preparing flight plans ahead
- 🐛 Making edits
- 🐛 Frequency updates
- 🐛 Cool things natively available
- 🐛 Ditching GNS430W
- 🐛 Not regretted decision
- 🐛 Would be nice if available for Android
- 🐛 Skip tired excuse
- 🐛 Develop for Samsung
- 🐛 Stand to gain market share
- 🐛 Terrible
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 🐛 A MUST have
- 🐛 For Any Avidyne IFD5xx or 4xx User
- 🐛 If that’s you
- 🐛 You simply MUST work with this app
- 🐛 And your CFII
- 🐛 Before trying anything in the airplane
- 🐛 You’ll save so much time
- 🐛 Doesn’t work
- 🐛 I can’t get it to start
- 🐛 It says “no database”
- 🐛 I down load databases
- 🐛 And try again
- 🐛 It still says “no databases”
- 🐛 Needs updating
- 🐛 There is no altitude control
- 🐛 When running app on a Mac
- 🐛 Which renders the simulator useless
- 🐛 Nice idea
- 🐛 Won’t climb
- 🐛 I have tried to get this trainer to track the autopilot
- 🐛 And fly an altitude
- 🐛 You can have it fly a heading and altitude
- 🐛 But you can’t have it track the flight plan
- 🐛 And set an altitude
- 🐛 Instructions says to set altitude to cross a waypoint
- 🐛 Tried it
- 🐛 Just flys at 20 feet
- 🐛 And tells you to pull up
- 🐛 And it still won’t track the FMS
- 🐛 Good for practicing frequency changes
- 🐛 Good fidelity to actual IFD
- 🐛 With serious usability issues
- 🐛 Avidyne apparently can’t decide
- 🐛 Whether this is a marketing app
- 🐛 Or a training device
- 🐛 When trying to use it
- 🐛 I’m constantly getting bothered by artificial traffic
- 🐛 Terrain alerts, etc.
- 🐛 When trying to figure out how to load and fly an approach
- 🐛 I really shouldn’t have to flounder around figuring out how to be at an altitude above ground
- 🐛 Or how to position the aircraft to a reasonable starting position
- 🐛 I’d call it barely usable for training
- 🐛 A disappointment
- 🐛 Where is the PC version?
- 🐛 Frustrating
- 🐛 Can’t fly lesson in Bauer’s book
- 🐛 With a standard departure
- 🐛 Even though I followed each step
- 🐛 Would have been nice to save time/money working through scenarios on ground
- 🐛 But too frustrating to bother using
- 🐛 While I like the 540 much better than my 530
- 🐛 The trainer app for my GNS was waaay better than this
- 🐛 Heading up not working on IFD 440
- 🐛 Heading up not working on map display
- 🐛 Always shows north up
- 🐛 Please fix
- 🐛 Needs documentation
- 🐛 You can play with all the controls
- 🐛 But there’s little to help how to set up common things like approaches
- 🐛 Also not obvious how to set a start point
- 🐛 Altitude, etc.
- 🐛 Speed is the only obvious setting
- 🐛 Still crashes the iPad
- 🐛 Crashed my iPad with memory issues on first run
- 🐛 Great Simulator
- 🐛 I’m flying with a friend
- 🐛 Who has Avidyne equipment
- 🐛 In his Mooney and Lake Amphibian
- 🐛 This is very helpful
- 🐛 Version10.3 IFD 540 trainer
- 🐛 Does not have CHARTS tab on MAPS page
- 🐛 In navigation mode the course slider is covered up by the iPad bar
- 🐛 And is not usable
- 🐛 Can’t control simulator altitude
- 🐛 Demo this terrain
- 🐛 No documentation for app use
- 🐛 The demo app, is stuck at Zero altitude
- 🐛 So of course it won’t work
- 🐛 Documentation is lousy
- 🐛 Familiarity equals competence
- 🐛 A great tool to practice using the Avidyne kit
- 🐛 Before you jump in an aircraft
- 🐛 Invaluable
- 🐛 Dispatch with IFD100
- 🐛 Stupid update
- 🐛 How come it does not match with the 10.2 version
- 🐛 When there is no 10.3 for the IFD100?
- 🐛 How can we trust in Avidyne
- 🐛 Hardly works
- 🐛 And only on good days
- 🐛 Gets stuck
- 🐛 Crashes
- 🐛 Inputs are difficult
- 🐛 Especially for the knobs
- 🐛 In short I hope the devices themselves are better
- 🐛 Not too great
- 🐛 There are a number of items that simply do not work
- 🐛 For example, the tutorials don’t address the IFD unit you might be trying to learn
- 🐛 The Flight Plan tutorial only addresses the IFD 540
- 🐛 When you are trying to learn the IFD 440
- 🐛 And the two are not even similar
- 🐛 Invaluable to the new owner
- 🐛 Moving from Garmin to Avidyne
- 🐛 There is no substitute for hands on practice
- 🐛 To learn the operating differences
- 🐛 This app made it so much easier
- 🐛 And it’s run well on an iPad Air
- 🐛 Includes user manuals and tutorial videos
- 🐛 IFD Trainer for 550
- 🐛 This is great!
- 🐛 I used the app while the avionics shop installed the IFD
- 🐛 And before I even picked up the plane
- 🐛 I was so familiar with its use when I picked up the plane
- 🐛 I was ready to receive my clearance in just a few minutes
- 🐛 And had all the flight plans with the SID & route to home programmed
- 🐛 Ready to go
- 🐛 A disappointment
- 🐛 Where is the PC version?
- 🐛 Freq won’t load
- 🐛 This app doesn’t work on iPad Pro
- 🐛 IFD550 training simulator
- 🐛 Have used only for a few days
- 🐛 It’s spectacular
- 🐛 It’s blowing me away
- 🐛 Will love to use the real unit
- 🐛 Good trainer app
- 🐛 I’ve got the IFD540And love it
- 🐛 This app is plenty good for getting you up to speed
- 🐛 Blows the doors off my old Garman 750
- 🐛 Avidyne was a one box solution
- 🐛 The Garmin required six other $1000 boxes to get it to work like the Avidyne
- 🐛 Top notch
- 🐛 I think Avidyne have exceeded all expectations with this trainer
- 🐛 The ability to learn while on the couch
- 🐛 And see how it actually works
- 🐛 Is confidence building
- 🐛 Thanks Avidyne
- 🐛 Freezes the iPad
- 🐛 The app frequently freezes my iPad (mini, 5th)
- 🐛 But it was free!
- 🐛 And you need something to explore what all these automatisms will do
- 🐛 Don’t take anything for granted with the IFD
- 🐛 Learning
- 🐛 This is great for practice!
- 🐛 PCC
- 🐛 Very Nice and usefull
- 🐛 Very useful to evaluate the functionality of the IFD Series FMS
- 🐛 (I used it before I bought an IFD440)
- 🐛 And today I am using it to explore functionality of my unit
- 🐛 But at home on the couch
- 🐛 You can simulate approaches and other stuff
- 🐛 And you know how the device is behaving before you get into the aircraft
- 🐛 Thanks for this opportunity
- 🐛 Junk trainers
- 🐛 I hope your real units work
- 🐛 These trainers are a joke
- 🐛 It would be nice to get familiar with the system
- 🐛 As I am in the process of installing a new Ifd 440
- 🐛 I will be looking hard for ANY bugs in the system
- 🐛 Very Disappointed
- 🐛 Ok for practicing how to load a flight plan
- 🐛 The simulator Stinks!
- 🐛 Super trainer
- 🐛 For a new customer accustomed to Garmin gear
- 🐛 This flattens the learning curve before you fly
- 🐛 Super job,Avidyne
- 🐛 Does not work on ipad2
- 🐛 Downloaded the app and filled out my information
- 🐛 App downloaded terrain but no Start or Tutorial button appeared
- 🐛 I can't run the simulator!
- 🐛 Not a good app
- 🐛 I am trying to decide between Avidyne and Garmin
- 🐛 If this app is any indication of the quality of the Avidyne software
- 🐛 I am buying a Garmin
- 🐛 If they did not have a tutorial app
- 🐛 I would buy a Garmin because they have a great app
- 🐛 The app should work like the unit in the plane
- 🐛 And this app does not work like the unit
- 🐛 Is out of date
- 🐛 And simply crashes too much to be useful
- 🐛 Frequent crashes, hard to use
- 🐛 Frequent crashes makes it useless
- 🐛 Except for some elementary functions
- 🐛 (On iPad Pro with plenty of memory, worse on iPad2)
- 🐛 Lacks adequate controls
- 🐛 Like controlling altitude in most scenarios
- 🐛 And set initial position of aircraft
- 🐛 Flight plan and settings are lost on crash/restart
- 🐛 Documentation useful to sales demo level
- 🐛 Not deep enough for actual training
- 🐛 Coupling of Jepps database extremely confusing for beginners
- 🐛 Desperately needs an simple explanation of the system architecture
- 🐛 In addition to the overly simplistic instructions
- 🐛 Also, downloading a live database apparently not shared copy with app used with real units
- 🐛 (Should just bypass the whole Jepps step by default, would be much easier for beginners.)
- 🐛 Good practice but memory-hungry app
- 🐛 The latest update requires a lot more memory than the previous version
- 🐛 Making it less stable on my admittedly old iPad 2
- 🐛 That drops it from 5 to 3 stars
- 🐛 Maps on simulator are free and require no Jepp account
- 🐛 Contrary to what others have said here
- 🐛 It's a little tricky
- 🐛 But you have to select "Demo" rather than logging in
- 🐛 I'm lucky I got some good practice in before the update
- 🐛 I feel mostly ready to get my upgraded plane back from Port City Air and fly some real approaches
- 🐛 Avidyne MFD Simulator
- 🐛 Very nice!
- 🐛 Works well
- 🐛 Great for learning how to fully utilize their amazing navigation products
- 🐛 Stick with the previous version
- 🐛 Previous version worked fine for me
- 🐛 Updated to the new version which asked for my personal details before it will open
- 🐛 Provided this information and nothing
- 🐛 So no longer able to use what was a great app to help with my IFD440 training
- 🐛 Very frustrating!
- 🐛 Problematic.....
- 🐛 Newest version asks for name and N-number
- 🐛 Then starts to load terrain
- 🐛 Once done
- 🐛 It asks for the same info again
- 🐛 Deleted and downloaded again; same problem
- 🐛 Needs some TLC prior to release!
- 🐛 Previous app better
- 🐛 This app had sooo much potential
- 🐛 But they blew it
- 🐛 It’s no longer capturing altitudes regardless if you change it in the flight plan
- 🐛 Why can’t you just say direct (enter,enter) and have it capture the flight plan
- 🐛 Then when you move the heading bug it goes back to heading mode?
- 🐛 Really, not too hard
- 🐛 Now, this awesome sim is unusable until you fix the bugs
- 🐛 Have ALL of the controls available all the time
- 🐛 With two more buttons- NAV, and Heading
- 🐛 Done
- 🐛 Great, but crashes constantly
- 🐛 Great simulator app
- 🐛 But it crashes far too frequently
- 🐛 The app needs some attention from developers to make it stable enough to use effectively
- 🐛 It would also be very nice if a user-defined origin point could be saved
- 🐛 It’s annoying to have to set the current location every time the app is started
- 🐛 Especially because the app is so brittle and crashes all the time
- 🐛 A great gps navigator deserves a more reliable simulator app to showcase the avionic’s capabilities and to provide a better learning experience
- 🐛 Worthless
- 🐛 I’ve used several simulators
- 🐛 And I am familiar with and use a variety of systems similar to the Avidyne 540
- 🐛 I purchased an airplane with the 540 already installed
- 🐛 And after giving it a try and attempting this simulator
- 🐛 I’m just going to yank it out and get a functional GPS
- 🐛 Don’t get me wrong I think the 540 has promise
- 🐛 But avidyne needs to figure out how to make it easy to learn and get started on
- 🐛 The simulator data base issue where you need to have a jeppsen account just to use the simulator
- 🐛 And the demo data base doesn’t work is just designed for frustration
- 🐛 Same problem with the actual unit
- 🐛 I really think it could be an easy to use unit
- 🐛 Provided you can get started with it
- 🐛 The folks at avidyne just have to many useless hurdles with unnecessary complications
- 🐛 I’ve already been to two avionics shops
- 🐛 And the unit just needs updates that are difficult to install
- 🐛 Require repeated calls to tech support
- 🐛 And take way to much time
- 🐛 Just like the simulator
- 🐛 Other systems are plug and play compared to these
- 🐛 And I strongly suggest looking at other systems
- 🐛 Great tool to learn the IFD
- 🐛 This worked very well for me learning the IFD
- 🐛 I now have one and really like flying it
- 🐛 I see the complaints about not having a database
- 🐛 I had a similar issue originally
- 🐛 But I called Avidyne they they talked me through it so I could use it with the demo database
- 🐛 I would like to use it as an IFD440 but can’t figure that out
- 🐛 That is the only complaint I have
- 🐛 Useless without database
- 🐛 Requires a Jeppesen account
- 🐛 I use Garmin
- 🐛 So don’t have Jeppesen
- 🐛 I wanted to install the sim to compare UI with GTN-750 to make a buying decision
- 🐛 Unfortunately, not possible
- 🐛 Garmin simulator for PCs just work by comparison
- 🐛 Fantastic app
- 🐛 Download the available databases
- 🐛 And it exactly duplicates a IFD440 or 540
- 🐛 I taught myself how to use the IFD540 while the actual GPS was being installed in my airplane with this app
- 🐛 Reading the IFD pilot guide is a must
- 🐛 But being able to actually simulate what you are reading is the next best thing to using it while in flight
- 🐛 This app allows you to do that while learning how to use the IFD
- 🐛 Works as promoted with IFD100 app
- 🐛 This app simulates the panel mounted IFD4XX/IFD5XX device
- 🐛 Use the IFD100 on a sound iPad to “remotely” program the panel device as you would in the cockpit
- 🐛 WARNING: Using a second iPad uses one of the available subscription devices
- 🐛 Works fine if you figure out how
- 🐛 Edited
- 🐛 My original comment was similar to the other negative one
- 🐛 No database
- 🐛 So you really can't do anything
- 🐛 I contacted Avidyne
- 🐛 Instead of bypassing the Jepp database logon screen by touching "Exit"
- 🐛 You need to actually log on with no username or password
- 🐛 You will come to a screen with a list of demo databases available for download into the simulator
- 🐛 Fairly useless
- 🐛 The simulator is of little value without a database
- 🐛 The instructions say to log in without a user id or password in order to use a sample database
- 🐛 However, logging in without a user id and password does not work
- 🐛 And no database is loaded

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Crashes frequently
- Does not load correctly
- Poor graphics
- No databases
- Difficult to use
- Useless without database
- Simulator stinks
- Frequent crashes
- Hard to use
- Not too great
- Worthless
- Problematic
- Previous app better
- Junk trainers
- Fairly useless
- Does not work on iPad2
- Not a good app
- Freezes the iPad
- Can’t control simulator altitude
- Heading up not working
- Needs updating
- Needs documentation
- Still crashes the iPad
- Memory issues
- Course slider covered
- Not usable
- Demo app stuck at zero altitude
- Lousy documentation
- Stupid update
- Hard to use knobs
- Tutorials don't match unit
- Flight plan tutorial mismatch
- Can’t fly lesson
- Too frustrating
- Doesn’t work
- Can’t get it to start
- Altitude control missing on Mac
- Simulator useless
- Won’t climb
- Can’t track autopilot
- Won’t track FMS
- Artificial traffic alerts
- Terrain alerts
- Barely usable for training
- Where is PC version?
- Frustrating
- Can’t save flight plans
- Inputs difficult
- Not enough memory
- Not stable
- Can’t figure out IFD440
- Needs TLC before release
- Not capturing altitudes
- Unusable until bugs fixed
- Crashing constantly
- Annoying to set location
- Brittle app
- Useless without database
- Requires Jeppesen account
- No database loaded
- Does not work on iPad Pro
- Input lag
- Graphics poor
- Setup incorrect
- Uninstalled and reinstalled many times
- No change
- Crashes right after starting
- Shows "establishing communication"
- Immediately closes app
- Really poor graphics
- Hate the trainer
- Pretty useless really
- Still reads no databases
- Awesome app
- Superb functionality
- Makes learning pleasant
- Truly emulates real deal
- Extends usability
- Extends functionality
- Preparing flight plans ahead
- Making edits
- Frequency updates
- Cool things natively available
- Ditching GNS430W
- Not regretted decision
- Would be nice if available for Android
- Skip tired excuse
- Develop for Samsung
- Stand to gain market share
- Terrible
- Crashes all the time
- Difficult to use
- A MUST have
- For Any Avidyne IFD5xx or 4xx User
- If that’s you
- You simply MUST work with this app
- And your CFII
- Before trying anything in the airplane
- You’ll save so much time
- Doesn’t work
- I can’t get it to start
- It says “no database”
- I down load databases
- And try again
- It still says “no databases”
- Needs updating
- There is no altitude control
- When running app on a Mac
- Which renders the simulator useless
- Nice idea
- Won’t climb
- I have tried to get this trainer to track the autopilot
- And fly an altitude
- You can have it fly a heading and altitude
- But you can’t have it track the flight plan
- And set an altitude
- Instructions says to set altitude to cross a waypoint
- Tried it
- Just flys at 20 feet
- And tells you to pull up
- And it still won’t track the FMS
- Good for practicing frequency changes
- Good fidelity to actual IFD
- With serious usability issues
- Avidyne apparently can’t decide
- Whether this is a marketing app
- Or a training device
- When trying to use it
- I’m constantly getting bothered by artificial traffic
- Terrain alerts, etc.
- When trying to figure out how to load and fly an approach
- I really shouldn’t have to flounder around figuring out how to be at an altitude above ground
- Or how to position the aircraft to a reasonable starting position
- I’d call it barely usable for training
- A disappointment
- Where is the PC version?
- Frustrating
- Can’t fly lesson in Bauer’s book
- With a standard departure
- Even though I followed each step
- Would have been nice to save time/money working through scenarios on ground
- But too frustrating to bother using
- While I like the 540 much better than my 530
- The trainer app for my GNS was waaay better than this
- Heading up not working on IFD 440
- Heading up not working on map display
- Always shows north up
- Please fix
- Needs documentation
- You can play with all the controls
- But there’s little to help how to set up common things like approaches
- Also not obvious how to set a start point
- Altitude, etc.
- Speed is the only obvious setting
- Still crashes the iPad
- Crashed my iPad with memory issues on first run
- Great Simulator
- I’m flying with a friend
- Who has Avidyne equipment
- In his Mooney and Lake Amphibian
- This is very helpful
- Version10.3 IFD 540 trainer
- Does not have CHARTS tab on MAPS page
- In navigation mode the course slider is covered up by the iPad bar
- And is not usable
- Can’t control simulator altitude
- Demo this terrain
- No documentation for app use
- The demo app, is stuck at Zero altitude
- So of course it won’t work
- Documentation is lousy
- Familiarity equals competence
- A great tool to practice using the Avidyne kit
- Before you jump in an aircraft
- Invaluable
- Dispatch with IFD100
- Stupid update
- How come it does not match with the 10.2 version
- When there is no 10.3 for the IFD100?
- How can we trust in Avidyne
- Hardly works
- And only on good days
- Gets stuck
- Crashes
- Inputs are difficult
- Especially for the knobs
- In short I hope the devices themselves are better
- Not too great
- There are a number of items that simply do not work
- For example, the tutorials don’t address the IFD unit you might be trying to learn
- The Flight Plan tutorial only addresses the IFD 540
- When you are trying to learn the IFD 440
- And the two are not even similar
- Invaluable to the new owner
- Moving from Garmin to Avidyne
- There is no substitute for hands on practice
- To learn the operating differences
- This app made it so much easier
- And it’s run well on an iPad Air
- Includes user manuals and tutorial videos
- IFD Trainer for 550
- This is great!
- I used the app while the avionics shop installed the IFD
- And before I even picked up the plane
- I was so familiar with its use when I picked up the plane
- I was ready to receive my clearance in just a few minutes
- And had all the flight plans with the SID & route to home programmed
- Ready to go
- A disappointment
- Where is the PC version?
- Freq won’t load
- This app doesn’t work on iPad Pro
- IFD550 training simulator
- Have used only for a few days
- It’s spectacular
- It’s blowing me away
- Will love to use the real unit
- Good trainer app
- I’ve got the IFD540And love it
- This app is plenty good for getting you up to speed
- Blows the doors off my old Garman 750
- Avidyne was a one box solution
- The Garmin required six other $1000 boxes to get it to work like the Avidyne
- Top notch
- I think Avidyne have exceeded all expectations with this trainer
- The ability to learn while on the couch
- And see how it actually works
- Is confidence building
- Thanks Avidyne
- Freezes the iPad
- The app frequently freezes my iPad (mini, 5th)
- But it was free!
- And you need something to explore what all these automatisms will do
- Don’t take anything for granted with the IFD
- Learning
- This is great for practice!
- PCC
- Very Nice and usefull
- Very useful to evaluate the functionality of the IFD Series FMS
- (I used it before I bought an IFD440)
- And today I am using it to explore functionality of my unit
- But at home on the couch
- You can simulate approaches and other stuff
- And you know how the device is behaving before you get into the aircraft
- Thanks for this opportunity
- Junk trainers
- I hope your real units work
- These trainers are a joke
- It would be nice to get familiar with the system
- As I am in the process of installing a new Ifd 440
- I will be looking hard for ANY bugs in the system
- Very Disappointed
- Ok for practicing how to load a flight plan
- The simulator Stinks!
- Super trainer
- For a new customer accustomed to Garmin gear
- This flattens the learning curve before you fly
- Super job,Avidyne
- Does not work on ipad2
- Downloaded the app and filled out my information
- App downloaded terrain but no Start or Tutorial button appeared
- I can't run the simulator!
- Not a good app
- I am trying to decide between Avidyne and Garmin
- If this app is any indication of the quality of the Avidyne software
- I am buying a Garmin
- If they did not have a tutorial app
- I would buy a Garmin because they have a great app
- The app should work like the unit in the plane
- And this app does not work like the unit
- Is out of date
- And simply crashes too much to be useful
- Frequent crashes, hard to use
- Frequent crashes makes it useless
- Except for some elementary functions
- (On iPad Pro with plenty of memory, worse on iPad2)
- Lacks adequate controls
- Like controlling altitude in most scenarios
- And set initial position of aircraft
- Flight plan and settings are lost on crash/restart
- Documentation useful to sales demo level
- Not deep enough for actual training
- Coupling of Jepps database extremely confusing for beginners
- Desperately needs an simple explanation of the system architecture
- In addition to the overly simplistic instructions
- Also, downloading a live database apparently not shared copy with app used with real units
- (Should just bypass the whole Jepps step by default, would be much easier for beginners.)
- Good practice but memory-hungry app
- The latest update requires a lot more memory than the previous version
- Making it less stable on my admittedly old iPad 2
- That drops it from 5 to 3 stars
- Maps on simulator are free and require no Jepp account
- Contrary to what others have said here
- It's a little tricky
- But you have to select "Demo" rather than logging in
- I'm lucky I got some good practice in before the update
- I feel mostly ready to get my upgraded plane back from Port City Air and fly some real approaches
- Avidyne MFD Simulator
- Very nice!
- Works well
- Great for learning how to fully utilize their amazing navigation products
- Stick with the previous version
- Previous version worked fine for me
- Updated to the new version which asked for my personal details before it will open
- Provided this information and nothing
- So no longer able to use what was a great app to help with my IFD440 training
- Very frustrating!
- Problematic.....
- Newest version asks for name and N-number
- Then starts to load terrain
- Once done
- It asks for the same info again
- Deleted and downloaded again; same problem
- Needs some TLC prior to release!
- Previous app better
- This app had sooo much potential
- But they blew it
- It’s no longer capturing altitudes regardless if you change it in the flight plan
- Why can’t you just say direct (enter,enter) and have it capture the flight plan
- Then when you move the heading bug it goes back to heading mode?
- Really, not too hard
- Now, this awesome sim is unusable until you fix the bugs
- Have ALL of the controls available all the time
- With two more buttons- NAV, and Heading
- Done
- Great, but crashes constantly
- Great simulator app
- But it crashes far too frequently
- The app needs some attention from developers to make it stable enough to use effectively
- It would also be very nice if a user-defined origin point could be saved
- It’s annoying to have to set the current location every time the app is started
- Especially because the app is so brittle and crashes all the time
- A great gps navigator deserves a more reliable simulator app to showcase the avionic’s capabilities and to provide a better learning experience
- Worthless
- I’ve used several simulators
- And I am familiar with and use a variety of systems similar to the Avidyne 540
- I purchased an airplane with the 540 already installed
- And after giving it a try and attempting this simulator
- I’m just going to yank it out and get a functional GPS
- Don’t get me wrong I think the 540 has promise
- But avidyne needs to figure out how to make it easy to learn and get started on
- The simulator data base issue where you need to have a jeppsen account just to use the simulator
- And the demo data base doesn’t work is just designed for frustration
- Same problem with the actual unit
- I really think it could be an easy to use unit
- Provided you can get started with it
- The folks at avidyne just have to many useless hurdles with unnecessary complications
- I’ve already been to two avionics shops
- And the unit just needs updates that are difficult to install
- Require repeated calls to tech support
- And take way to much time
- Just like the simulator
- Other systems are plug and play compared to these
- And I strongly suggest looking at other systems
- Great tool to learn the IFD
- This worked very well for me learning the IFD
- I now have one and really like flying it
- I see the complaints about not having a database
- I had a similar issue originally
- But I called Avidyne they they talked me through it so I could use it with the demo database
- I would like to use it as an IFD440 but can’t figure that out
- That is the only complaint I have
- Useless without database
- Requires a Jeppesen account
- I use Garmin
- So don’t have Jeppesen
- I wanted to install the sim to compare UI with GTN-750 to make a buying decision
- Unfortunately, not possible
- Garmin simulator for PCs just work by comparison
- Fantastic app
- Download the available databases
- And it exactly duplicates a IFD440 or 540
- I taught myself how to use the IFD540 while the actual GPS was being installed in my airplane with this app
- Reading the IFD pilot guide is a must
- But being able to actually simulate what you are reading is the next best thing to using it while in flight
- This app allows you to do that while learning how to use the IFD
- Works as promoted with IFD100 app
- This app simulates the panel mounted IFD4XX/IFD5XX device
- Use the IFD100 on a sound iPad to “remotely” program the panel device as you would in the cockpit
- WARNING: Using a second iPad uses one of the available subscription devices
- Works fine if you figure out how
- Edited
- My original comment was similar to the other negative one
- No database
- So you really can't do anything
- I contacted Avidyne
- Instead of bypassing the Jepp database logon screen by touching "Exit"
- You need to actually log on with no username or password
- You will come to a screen with a list of demo databases available for download into the simulator
- Fairly useless
- The simulator is of little value without a database
- The instructions say to log in without a user id or password in order to use a sample database
- However, logging in without a user id and password does not work
- And no database is loaded

**Most requested features**

- Android version availability
- PC version availability
- Altitude control on Mac
- Saving user-defined origin point
- Ability to use as IFD440

## Recent user reviews (10 of 56)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifd-trainer/id1170084784/reviews.md

### 1/5 — No connection to X-plane

*2026-02-22, version 2025.10*

This will not connect with X-plane at all.

### 1/5 — Not Happy

*2025-11-30, version 2025.10*

Terrible app, it crashes, does goofy things, won’t do the setup correctly, almost wish I had’t bought an Avidyne. Have uninstalled and reinstalled many times, no change!!!!!!!!

### 5/5 — Crashes on startup

*2025-10-05, version 2025.8*

Edit:  I opened a support ticket and received response the next day with a number of suggestions, none of which worked.  I was then handed over to a more specialized tech and support moved to the avidynelive online forum. There, Gary was very helpful and together we worked through a number of possible solutions, even going through Apple with logs of what was going on when the app crashed. Turns out that there were some unexpected interactions with the IFD100 app and after uninstalling both the trainer and the 100 app then reinstalling both, they both now work.  Excellent support.

App automatically updated to version 13.3.2.2. Ever since then it crashes right after starting. It shows "establishing communication", and immediately closes the app. iPados 26 on mini 5.

### 1/5 — It’s bad

*2025-09-12, version 2025.6*

Does not load correctly. Really poor graphics on 440. Love the kit, hate the trainer

### 1/5 — Not Happy

*2025-03-31*

Terrible app, it crashes, does goofy things, won’t do the setup correctly, almost wish I had’t bought an Avidyne. Have uninstalled and reinstalled many times, no change!!!!!!!!

**Developer response:** Sorry you had this experience! Have you contacted support @ techsupport@avidyne.com? Also, since your App Review, there’s a new IFD Trainer and IFD100 available. These have stability improvements that just may have resolved whatever difficulties you were encountering.

### 1/5 — Could do better

*2025-02-20, version 10.3.2*

Poor app. Pretty useless really.

### 5/5 — Great app

*2025-02-01, version 10.3.2*

Great software to sim the IFD and learn the system

### 1/5 — No databases

*2024-07-27, version 10.3.2*

Even after manually loading databases, still reads no databases upon opening app on 5th gen iPad Air

### 5/5 — Excellent representation & functionality

*2024-05-18, version 10.3.2*

This is an awesome app…superb functionality that makes learning the app a pleasant experience as it truly emulates the real deal.  The IFD100 Companion app extends usability and functionality in the flight deck…preparing flight plans ahead of time, making edits to ongoing flight parameters, frequency updates and all of the cool things that are natively available in the IFD.  Since ditching my GNS430W for the plug-in replacement IFD440, I have not regretted my decision. It would be nice if the IFD Trainer and the IFD100 were available for Android! Skip the tired excuse of too many flavors of Android. Develop for the Samsung platform and you stand to gain a whole ‘nother market share!!

### 1/5 — Terrible

*2024-02-24, version 10.3.2*

Crashes all the time and is difficult to use.

## Frequently asked questions about IFD Trainer

### What is the IFD Trainer app?

The IFD Trainer is a flight simulator designed to provide a realistic environment for users to explore and learn about Avidyne's Flight Management Systems (FMS). It allows you to get acquainted with the nuances of different IFD models and practice entering and changing flight plans.

### What are the key features of the IFD Trainer?

Key features include a realistic simulation environment, the ability to explore various Avidyne IFD models, practice flight planning, access free demo navigation and map data, and integrate with the IFD100 app for a larger display training experience. It also supports using qualified Jeppesen data.

### Is the IFD Trainer free to use?

The IFD Trainer app itself is free to download and use, and it includes free demo data for navigation, charts, and terrain. However, the app does contain advertisements. For the most up-to-date avionics cycle data, you can use your qualified Jeppesen account.

### Who is the IFD Trainer app for?

This app is ideal for Avidyne pilots who are learning to use their IFD system, or for those considering purchasing an Avidyne IFD. It provides a practical and accessible way to experience the system's features and ease of use from home.

### Can I use my own flight data with the IFD Trainer?

Yes, you can keep the IFD Trainer data consistent with the latest avionics cycle by using your qualified Jeppesen account. This allows you to train with current navigation, digital charts, terrain, and map data.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2026.02 — 2026-03-14

Minor fix to download Jepp Charts from a Vantage account.

### 2025.10 — 2025-11-19

Fixes to the following issues that occurred in some cases:

- The IFD100 repeatedly suggested to "Restart" to acquire the IFD's settings. 
- In the IFD100, the MAP page tab labeled as SVS or TAWS didn't match the IFD's label. Now, after a force-close, the labels match.

### 2025.9 — 2025-10-15

Fixes for viewing videos and navigating the Settings and Jeppesen views.

### 2025.8 — 2025-09-25

Update addresses the display of the App Icon in the App Store.

### 2025.7 — 2025-09-21

Fixed issue that led to an unlabeled button in the Settings view.
Use accessibility improvements.
More application stability improvements.

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## More apps by Avidyne

- [Avidyne IFD100 10.2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avidyne-ifd100-102/id1094839820)
- [Avidyne IFD100 10.3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avidyne-ifd100-103/id1576364558)
- [IFD Trainer Xp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifd-trainer-xp/id1580754515)

All apps by Avidyne: https://appshunter.io/developer/876452179

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*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 2026-09-09.*