Comparison

FDS Altis vs Panda Breaks

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FDS Altis

Access the instructional manual for your product and connect to the system. By using this application, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Highlights
  • Product instructional manual access
  • System connection
  • Terms of Service agreement
  • Privacy Policy agreement
Features
Read full description

See the instructional manual for your product at https://freefalldatasystems.com for information on how to connect to FDS Altis. By using this app, FDS Altis, you are indicating that you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as described at https://freefalldatasystems.com/termsofservice and https://freefalldatasystems.com/privacypolicy.

About

Panda Breaks

This app calculates rest breaks for long-haul flight crews with 3 or 4 pilots. It offers multiple break schemes, sets wake-up alarms, and provides a visual flight timeline, all in Zulu time and fully offline. It includes FAR 117 validation and adjustable buffers for precise crew rest management.

Highlights
  • Rest break calculation for 3- and 4-pilot crews
  • Wake-up alarm setting per pilot
  • Multiple break schemes including FAR 117
  • Adjustable buffer times
  • Dark mode for night vision
  • Offline functionality
  • FAR 117 validation with warnings
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Panda Breaks is a simple but powerful break calculator for long haul augmented flight crews! The app calculates break periods for 3- and 4-pilot crews, sets wake-up alarms, and keeps every pilot on the same page — all in Zulu time, fully offline. Built for the flight deck! Enter your departure time and arrival time or duration, select your crew size and break scheme, and Panda Breaks instantly calculates each pilot's rest window. Tap your break to set a personal wake-up alarm — no paper, no mental arithmetic. Key features • Simple single view app — break durations, end times, and wakeup times all visible on the same screen • Dark mode — don't ruin your night vision calculating breaks after a nighttime departure • Six break schemes — equal splits, staggered splits, center-block, and FAR 117-compliant schedules for both 3- and 4-pilot crews • AlarmKit integration — alarms appear on the lock screen with a Live Activity countdown and alert on Apple Watch • Adjustable buffers — configure time before first break, between breaks, and before landing • Per-break wake-up offset — set how many minutes before the end of the break each pilot wants to be called • FAR 117 validation — instant warnings when PF or PM rest falls below regulatory minimums, with visual indicators on the affected break block • Flight timeline — a live proportional view of the full flight with a moving position indicator • All times in Zulu (UTC/GMT) — no time zone confusion • Fully offline — no account, no network connection required, no data collected • Widgets for Home Screen and Lock Screen — Easily see upcoming break ends and alarms • Flight Status Live Activity — Updates require basic internet connection (most airlines free messaging will suffice) The name Panda Breaks comes from the acronym nickname given to the 2nd International Relief Officer at least one US airline. It stands for: Pilot Actually Not Doing Anything.

Screenshots

FDS Altis4 screens
Panda Breaks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Panda Breaks at 100% against FDS Altis's 40%. Panda Breaks also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and chart position (#193 vs unranked). FDS Altis's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and ratings volume (10 vs 3). On update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

FDS Altis is free to download; Panda Breaks costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Panda Breaks holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of FDS Altis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Panda Breaks's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FDS Altis ships an update every 3 weeks, Panda Breaks every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
FDS Altis versus Panda Breaks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFDS AltisPanda Breaks
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating3.9 (10 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings10 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#193 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.226.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCasey MongovenKidd Coding LLC

Customer experience

FDS Altis

All ratings10 ratings
Positive70.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

Panda Breaks

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

FDS Altis

No in-app purchases

None

Panda Breaks

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FDS Altis free?
FDS Altis is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Panda Breaks free?
Panda Breaks costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FDS Altis or Panda Breaks?
Panda Breaks is rated higher. FDS Altis averages 3.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Panda Breaks averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do FDS Altis or Panda Breaks have ads?
Neither FDS Altis nor Panda Breaks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FDS Altis or Panda Breaks?
FDS Altis ships an update every 3 weeks, and Panda Breaks every 2 weeks. Most recently, FDS Altis was updated on September 15, 2026 and Panda Breaks on September 23, 2026.

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