CFI DPE Scenario Maker vs Checkride Compass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CFI DPE Scenario Maker
This app generates randomized flight scenarios for pilot training and evaluation. It includes hundreds of events and triggers to create unique pre-flight and in-flight challenges for private, instrument, and commercial pilots. Scenarios can be shared with students to aid in practice and understanding of scenario-based testing.
- Randomized scenario generation
- Pre-flight and in-flight scenarios
- Customizable by pilot rating
- Shareable scenarios
- Hundreds of events and triggers
- Supports Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)
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JetWright's CFI/DPE Scenario creator creates randomized scenarios for teaching and evaluating private, instrument and commercial pilots, and for flight students to practice their skills in evaluating a cross-country scenario. The FAA has mandated scenario based teaching and testing and has published a list of events and triggers to use in scenarios to teach and evaluate flight students. This app takes scenario creation to another level. JetWright has included hundreds and hundreds of events and triggers that are all randomized to create a unique scenario each time. This scenario can then be shared with the student/applicant via text or email. We recognize that as a new or even experienced flight instructor, it can be difficult to come up with scenarios, especially good ones that include everything from weather to mechanical issues to environmental issues. As an examiner or evaluator it can be hard to keep your scenarios fresh and unpredictable. As a flight student it can be hard to study, practice and even understand what will be expected of you in scenario based testing. With this app you can get a new, randomized scenario each time you click the "Create Scenario" button. Simply select private, instrument or commercial, put in the origin airport, the destination airport, and click "Create Scenario". This will give you a scenario with two parts: preflight and during flight. If you don't like the scenario that was generated, simply click the button again and you will be given a completely different one. Once ready, click the share button to send the preflight scenario to the student/applicant. The during flight scenario is designed to be a discussion item during a flight test or a ground oral and is not currently designed to be shared. We have included hundreds of events and triggers and will continue to add to the lists. The events and triggers are designed to promote thought and are used to teach and evaluate Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). Some of the triggers are intentionally ambiguous in order to promote discussion on multiple possible outcomes.
Checkride Compass
Prepare for your Private Pilot checkride with focused quizzes, flashcards, and real-world scenarios. This tool helps build confidence for oral exams, ACS standards, and written preparation.
- Practice quizzes
- ACS flashcards
- Checkride-style scenarios
- Focused study experience
- Build confidence
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Checkride Compass helps student pilots prepare for their Private Pilot checkride with focused quizzes, flashcards, and real-world scenarios based on FAA ACS standards. Features: • Practice quizzes • ACS flashcards • Checkride-style scenarios • Focused study experience Build confidence and stay on course for your oral, ACS, and written prep. Disclaimer: Checkride Compass is an independent educational study tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Checkride Compass at 100% against CFI DPE Scenario Maker's 0%. Checkride Compass also leads on price (Free vs $19.99) and rating (5.0 vs 1.0). CFI DPE Scenario Maker's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.2). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Checkride Compass is free to download; CFI DPE Scenario Maker costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Checkride Compass holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Checkride Compass has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of CFI DPE Scenario Maker's written reviews are positive against 100% of Checkride Compass's.
CFI DPE Scenario Maker ships an update every 17 months, Checkride Compass every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | CFI DPE Scenario Maker | Checkride Compass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | JetWright LLC | Jainik Parekh |
Customer experience
CFI DPE Scenario Maker
Checkride Compass
In-app purchases
CFI DPE Scenario Maker
No in-app purchases
Checkride Compass
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CFI DPE Scenario Maker free?
Is Checkride Compass free?
Which has better reviews, CFI DPE Scenario Maker or Checkride Compass?
Do CFI DPE Scenario Maker or Checkride Compass have ads?
Which is updated more often, CFI DPE Scenario Maker or Checkride Compass?
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