# Xavion

> In-flight navigation and safety app for pilots, offering engine-out guidance and weather. (iPhone/iPad app by X-Avionics, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xavion/id574203838 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [X-Avionics, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/574203841)
- Category: Navigation, Games, Racing, Simulation
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 99 App Store ratings · 128 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 3.2 GB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-11-14
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xavion/id574203838/reviews.md

## What is Xavion?

In flight, Xavion constantly imagines engine-failed glides to every runway in gliding range, and then shows you the safest-possible route as a Highway-In-The-Sky to take to an airport in the event of engine failure. This, finally, gives you guidance after an engine failure that is based on energy-management all the way down. Xavion also has instrument approaches in 3-D for the United States, so you can simply select any approach and then fly through the hoops to fly it!

As well, Xavion tracks other airplanes via ADS-B, and memorizes their location to track their WAKE TURBULENCE, moving the wake turbulence down and with the wind over time, showing the wake turbulence as little spiraling tornados. Finally, an App that tracks and shows you the wake turbulence of other airplanes.

As well, Xavion gets ADS-B weather if you have a portable receiver, and displays it, including the new icing, turbulence, and lightning products. Xavion also gets METARS and winds aloft from the internet if you have a WIFI or cell signal to help you plan before a flight!

Also, Xavion checks your weight and balance, and even estimates your takeoff distance and compares that to the length of the runway that you are about to take off on to warn you if the available runway length from your current location is marginal for a safe take-off.

Also, Xavion estimates time and fuel burn at all different altitudes to any destination, showing you the time and fuel burn required for each altitude enroute, so you can pick the best altitude.

All USA VFR and IFR charts and plates are included with base subscription.

Terms of use and Privacy Policy can be found at:
http://xavion.com/xavion-privacy-policy-and-terms-of-service/

Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

## Key features

- Engine-out glide path calculation
- 3D instrument approaches
- ADS-B aircraft and wake turbulence tracking
- Real-time ADS-B weather display
- Weight and balance calculations
- Takeoff distance estimation
- Enroute time and fuel burn estimation

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airport, Chart, and Plate Data | $9.99 | per month |
| Airport, Chart, and Plate Data | $99.99 | per year |


## What do users think of Xavion?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 💡 Revolutionary emergency glide guidance to nearest airport
- 🛡️ Life-saving safety feature for engine-out scenarios
- 📊 Accurate synthetic vision and attitude indicator
- 🎯 Excellent integration with X-Plane simulator
- ⚖️ Comprehensive weight and balance calculations
- 🗺️ VFR approach guidance with 'highway in the sky' hoops
- 📡 Seamless connectivity with ADS-B and Stratux devices
- 👨‍💼 Responsive and helpful developer support
- 🆓 Free sectional charts feature
- 🔄 Continuous app improvements and updates
- 📍 Accurate NEXRAD weather data visualization
- 🎮 Useful for flight simulation training

**Cons**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model after initial purchase
- 🌍 Limited to USA only (no EU/UK/Australia support)
- 📱 Not compatible with newer iPhones (notch/no home button)
- 📦 Extremely large app size (3.6GB+ updates)
- 🧩 Complex and confusing user interface
- 📚 Poor documentation and unclear manual
- ⚙️ Steep learning curve and difficult setup
- 🔌 Requires mandatory subscription for core functionality
- 🎯 Runway guidance sometimes inaccurate in mountainous areas
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes frequently
- 💳 High cost compared to competitors like ForeFlight
- 🚫 Bait-and-switch from one-time purchase to subscription

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes when adding new airports
- Flight recording stops during touch-and-go landings
- Runway guidance sometimes hidden by terrain or trees
- Approach procedure turn opposite of plate indication
- App freezes entire iPad when trial period expires
- Incompatibility with X-Plane 11 connection
- Ghost hijacking of other apps after trial expiration
- App fails to open after updates
- Display issues on iPad mini 6
- Inconsistent airport database with generic runway lengths outside USA
- Altimeter takes QNH from distant airport causing altitude errors
- App behaves like virus during trial period

**Most requested features**

- Support for EU, UK, and international regions
- Canadian VFR charts and airport data
- iPhone X and newer device compatibility
- Custom waypoint addition for VFR flight plans
- Multiple flight plan legs support
- Manual altimeter adjustment capability
- Negative coordinate input support
- Integration with Seattle Avionics existing subscriptions
- Fixed-pitch propeller glide calculations
- 3D airspace visualization
- Cloud storage for backup and device transfer
- Runway-specific lateral guidance (not just airport center)
- User waypoint database
- Improved user interface design
- Lock runway feature to prevent approach switching
- Better terrain view visualization
- Stratus/Scout GPS receiver support
- Free chart integration from FAA
- Certified panel replacement option

## Recent user reviews (10 of 128)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xavion/id574203838/reviews.md

### 1/5 — USA only

*2025-02-07, version 3.53*

Unfortunately, this excellent app doesn’t work for the EU or UK as there are no data available or plates

### 1/5 — Stick with ForeFlight

*2024-05-30*

I paid $100 to purchase this app only to have it switch to a subscription model just a few months into using. No refund. No apologies. Greedy is an understatement to describe the developer Austin Meyer.

I just saw someone use this app again and it is laughingly useless and obsolete now. For a subscription based model better stick with a larger company with established values and full features such as ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot.

### 5/5 — Excellent and wonderful support

*2022-08-15, version 3.02*

I recently flew from Houston to Salt Lake City. I ran Xavion alongside the IflyGPS app and really found its features to be very useful. The NEXRAD weather data was actually more accurate and easily visible than that on my G1000 and the IflyGPS. The VFR approach highway in the sky is vey helpful when flying into small mountain airports. I have also found austin to be very responsive and helpful when questions arise. I highly recommend this app.
Mike Belfort

### 3/5 — update size

*2022-05-13, version 2.94*

Why is it that every other app I use updates with reasonably small data downloads, and yet this one requires 3.6 GIGABYTES ?? (the entire app)

### 5/5 — Great app and outstanding support from the developer

*2021-11-12*

I have used Xavion while flying my Cessna 150 for a few years. The app has always worked perfectly in the cockpit and it gives me peace of mind knowing my options in the event the engine quits. I have communicated with Austin a couple of times and he has always been responsive. 

Most recently I had noticed a minor display issue on the new iPad mini 6 as it has a larger screen than previous models. Austin went above and beyond to resolve this, including buying a new iPad mini 6 himself to test.

### 5/5 — Great application

*2021-09-08, version 2.83*

Excellent flight application. Simple to understand and use. Absolutely love the approach guidance display feature in VFR mode and in IFR, right out of “2001 a Space Odessa”

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2021-04-28, version 2.80*

I purchased Xavion for x plane 11 when I couldn’t get to fly .
With Austin’s help had numerous hours of enjoyment & got to learn how it all works.
After this Austin kindly got Xavion to pair with sky echo 2 for real world flight.
I was fortunate enough to get to fly on the 12/4/21 the first day we were permitted to fly again in the uk .
I was coming in to land at our home base egnv for right base 05 . 
Before ATC came on to instruct me to enter a orbit for approximately 5 minutes.
I was already setting up for it as I could see all the the jets approaching on ils .
As Xavion all so shows the wake turbulence no worries there .
It was remarkable to have all this visual awareness on the screen.
To set me up for a perfect visual view as they all approached to land .
I have never as much as looked at gaming in all my years ! To many to mention.
But will always use Xplane & Xavion in all my pre real flight preparation going forward.
Thank you kindly to Austin & his team 
Sound job guys .
Regards 
Gerry Dunn

### 5/5 — Canada Airports

*2021-03-29, version 2.77*

While I understand you don’t support Canadian VFR charts. But I don’t see Canadian airports either is that supported ? Also is the price lower for reduced functionality for Canadian users ?

### 5/5 — Innovated and well integrated App

*2020-11-29, version 2.74*

I have a great app I have been using on Android.  I got X-planes flight simulator to introduce my grandson to flying.  He is getting pretty good at it with just a mouse.  In the process I stumbled onto Xavion video and since it had a 30 day trial I downloaded it on my IPhone.  Since it isn’t like other apps it took me a minute to really understand everything it could do.  I was impressed that I could use it both in my airplane and with the X-planes simulator.  I set it up on X-planes for my grandson who up to now had only flown the 15 min free demo sessions on X-planes.  I set him up at the airport near his home and fight planed a 300 mile cross country to my home.  He flew X-planes to my home and landed in 2 hours using Xavion hoops for navigation and let down planning.  The next day I took him flying at my home airport and let him fly the real airplane with Xavion.  He found his way back to the airport and had me setup for a landing.  I have much more to explore but I was impressed with the integration.  I will do formal weight and balance in the future, because it is the easiest and best I have seen and it provides Xavion with information to plan power off emergency landing at near by airports.  I have orders an iPad because my eyes are not as good as my grandson’s and I couldn’t see some of the text well enough on the iPhone in the cockpit.  This app seems to be continuously improved.  And it is written by a real pilot with passion to make it work well.  He has claimed the flight simulation market its X-planes and beat out all the competitors.  As and aside, I will tell you the my son is a Lt. Col in the USAF and commanded an international flight training squadron.  When I visited there I found there flight simulators were all based on X-planes.  I also worked to Evans and Sutherland.  The invented world class visual systems for flight simulators.  There market is eroding because the latest gaming hardware pared with X-planes is good enough.  It beats out the million dollar option in may cases.

### 4/5 — Great augmented situational awareness

*2020-10-23*

Xavion is great once you configure and really get everything dialed in.  It changes a lot each release even minor ones so you really have to keep on top of what changes occur so you know how to use it properly. 

I have practiced “engine out” procedures with it several times and it really does bring you to a runway but practice with it because it sometimes doesn’t bring you where you would see the runway miles before getting there if the airport area has trees or is hidden. 

I am considering dedicating an iPad mini to just xavion for emergency field location only. For me I am not yet willing to use it as a full efb.  Excellent tool in the cockpit

**Developer response:** Starting with 2.48, the maps are included with the base subscription at no extra charge. So there is no extra sign in and no extra charge. EVERYTHING is included with the base app subscription. I did this so people would not keep having to sign in again within the App, or buy other plans in addition to the App itself. There's no additional log-in because the charts are now included with the base app subscription.

## Frequently asked questions about Xavion

### What does Xavion do in case of an engine failure?

In the event of an engine failure, Xavion continuously calculates glide paths to all airports within gliding range. It then presents the safest possible route as a 'Highway-In-The-Sky,' guiding you to an airport based on energy management.

### What kind of weather information does Xavion provide?

Xavion can display real-time ADS-B weather, including new icing, turbulence, and lightning products, if you have a portable receiver. It also retrieves METARs and winds aloft from the internet via Wi-Fi or cellular signal for pre-flight planning.

### How does Xavion help with pre-flight planning?

Xavion assists with pre-flight planning by checking your aircraft's weight and balance. It also estimates your takeoff distance and compares it to the available runway length, warning you if the runway is marginal for a safe takeoff.

### Is Xavion compatible with all devices?

The provided description does not specify device compatibility. However, it mentions that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life, suggesting it utilizes GPS functionality common on mobile devices.

### What are the costs associated with Xavion?

Xavion is described as 'free with in-app purchases,' and all USA VFR and IFR charts and plates are included with a base subscription. Specific pricing for subscriptions or individual features is not detailed in the provided description.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.56 — 2025-12-22

Crash-fix for case where you lose all internet connections.

### 3.55 — 2025-12-19

Bug-fix for international terrain topography: We can now access terrain topography world-wide.

### 3.54 — 2025-11-10

Refinements:
Emergency approach banks of 10, 20, and 30 degrees are all tried, with preference for the SHALLOWER banks.
This is because shallow banks are easier to see and fly if you have enough altitude (and therefore TIME) to do them.

New low altitude fog added to give the terrain a bit more sense of depth.

Quicker tracking for the Sagetech Clarity ADSB receiver: The responsiveness to what the real airplane is doing should be quicker.


Bug fix:
Runway selection buttons are back, so you can touch an airport on the map, then hit a runway button there to get an emergency approach to that particular runway.

### 3.53 — 2024-11-11

Bug fix: The new higher-res elevation maps were not visible in some regions. That bug is now fixed, and the new high-res dems are now available between -60 and +70 degrees longitude.

### 3.52 — 2024-11-04

Removed un-needed warning when no terrain found in ocean areas.

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## More apps by X-Avionics, LLC

- [X-Marks-The-Spot](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-marks-the-spot/id587197095)

All apps by X-Avionics, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/574203841

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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 2026-08-27.*