FBOlink vs Virtual PAPI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FBOlink
Facilitates direct, real-time text messaging between aircrew and Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Customer Service Representatives. Enables communication of itinerary changes and passenger requests from anywhere globally, including when outside radio range. Includes aircraft details and read receipts for efficient coordination.
- Direct real-time messaging
- Global communication via internet
- Includes aircraft tail number and type
- Read receipts for confirmation
- In-flight itinerary updates
- Passenger request accommodation
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Digital communications between airplane and Fixed Base Operators (FBO) Customer Service Representatives (CSR) Over 1000 FBOs are now available for messaging with FBOlink! FBOlink provides air crew with a direct, real-time communications channel to Customer Service Representatives! Send text messages to an FBO CSR terminal from anywhere in the world via an internet connection! Communicate in-flight itinerary changes or accommodate unique passenger requests during the relative calm of en-route cruise segments when outside of radio range. The airplane's tail number and aircraft type are included with every message so that the FBO CSR terminal can best help the pilot's exact needs. All messages include a Read Receipt for both the pilot and CSR to indicate successful communication.
Virtual PAPI
This app offers adjustable visual descent guidance for any runway, allowing pilots to select airports and runways, then customize descent angles and aiming points. It provides accurate vertical guidance for various approach types and works offline with an extensive runway database.
- Adjustable visual descent guidance
- Select airport and runway
- Customize descent angle and aiming point
- Accurate vertical guidance
- Works offline
- 30,000+ runway database
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Pilots love runways with visual descent guidance, such as PAPI or VASI, but unfortunately they don't exist everywhere. This app provides an adjustable visual descent guidance for every runway on the planet. The pilot can select an airport, a runway, adjust the desired descent angle and the aiming point, then Virtual PAPI will create a glide slope indicator style. The glide slope will provide accurate vertical guidance to the aiming point from any direction, 360 degrees, providing a valuable guidance for any type of approach, like base entries, short approaches, straight-ins, etc. The app comes with over 30 thousand runways in its offline database, and more will be added as they are discovered. The app works completely offline and never tries to use the internet. All it needs is access to your location. Virtual PAPI is and free and open source, with all the code available on GitHub.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Virtual PAPI at 100% against FBOlink's 8%. Virtual PAPI also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). FBOlink's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). On price, ads, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. FBOlink sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Virtual PAPI asks for nothing beyond the download.
Virtual PAPI holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FBOlink has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of FBOlink's written reviews are positive against 100% of Virtual PAPI's.
FBOlink ships an update every 2 months, Virtual PAPI weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FBOlink | Virtual PAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Send Solutions, LLC | Marlon Dutra |
Customer experience
FBOlink
Virtual PAPI
In-app purchases
FBOlink
- 20 MyTIS Credits2 variants$5.00
Virtual PAPI
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FBOlink free?
Is Virtual PAPI free?
Which has better reviews, FBOlink or Virtual PAPI?
Do FBOlink or Virtual PAPI have ads?
Which is updated more often, FBOlink or Virtual PAPI?
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