FDS Altis vs Panda Breaks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FDS Altis
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- Product instructional manual access
- System connection
- Terms of Service agreement
- Privacy Policy agreement
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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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | FDS Altis | Panda Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 3.9 (10 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #193 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | 26.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Casey Mongoven | Kidd Coding LLC |
Customer experience
FDS Altis
Panda Breaks
In-app purchases
FDS Altis
No in-app purchases
Panda Breaks
No in-app purchases









