SAE Aero Design vs Comms
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SAE Aero Design
This app provides essential information for participants, volunteers, and spectators of the SAE Aero Design competition. Access real-time news, event schedules, site maps, and team lists, with offline access to crucial details.
- Competition news and announcements
- Push notifications for updates
- Offline access to maps and schedules
- Team lists
- Competition guides
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The SAE Aero Design app was custom built for the SAE Aero Design community: competitors, volunteers, spectators, and sponsors. Using the app, you’ll have access to competition news, maps, schedules, team list, and more. • Push Notifications & Announcements - Be automatically notified about important competition announcements as well as of weather-related impacts while on-site. • Maps & Schedules - Access the most up to date maps, schedules, and competition guides--available in the app even if you don’t have data service coverage at the competition site.
Comms
Practice realistic air traffic control radio communications using AI and speech recognition. Build confidence with over 35 scenarios, from basic taxi instructions to complex airspace transitions. Get instant feedback on your phraseology and accuracy.
- AI-powered speech recognition
- Realistic ATC scenarios
- Instant feedback on phraseology
- Transcript review
- Practice anytime, anywhere
- Guided responses
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Master Your Radio Skills. Fly with Confidence. Practice real ATC conversations by speaking into your phone. Comms uses AI and speech recognition to simulate realistic radio exchanges — so you can build confidence before keying the mic in the cockpit. Whether you're preparing for your first solo or sharpening your skills before a checkride, Comms helps you sound like you've been on frequency for years. 35+ Realistic ATC Scenarios - Taxi clearances, progressive taxi, and runway crossings - Takeoff, pattern work, and departures from towered and non-towered fields - VFR flight following — requesting, canceling, and handoffs - Class Bravo and Charlie airspace clearances and transitions - CRAFT clearances, IFR pop-ups, and holding instructions - Approaches, go-arounds, and missed approach procedures - Landing at towered and non-towered airports - Filing PIREPs, opening/closing flight plans, and requesting diversions - VFR into IMC emergency scenarios How It Works - Listen to ATC instructions with realistic controller audio - Respond by speaking your readback out loud - Get instant feedback on accuracy and phraseology - Review your full transcript after each session Built for Student Pilots - Designed for the calls that make new pilots nervous - Practice anytime — no airplane, no instructor, no pressure - Progress from basic taxi calls to complex airspace scenarios - Guided responses help you learn correct phraseology Perfect For - Student pilots preparing for solo or checkride - Private pilot candidates building radio confidence - Flight instructors looking for a training aid - Rusty pilots getting back on frequency Download Comms and take the stress out of talking to ATC. Focus on what matters most — flying the airplane. Terms of use - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Comms at 4.3 against SAE Aero Design's 3.0. Comms also leads on review sentiment (35% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 10 months). SAE Aero Design's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads 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. Comms sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. SAE Aero Design asks for nothing beyond the download.
Comms holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Comms has 303 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of SAE Aero Design's written reviews are positive against 35% of Comms's.
SAE Aero Design ships an update every 10 months, Comms every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SAE Aero Design | Comms |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 4.3 (303 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 35.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 303 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SAE | KHV Digital LLC |
Customer experience
SAE Aero Design
Comms
Bugs and requests
SAE Aero Design
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Comms
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes and becomes unusable after account setup
- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- Provides incorrect information that goes against FAA guidelines
Requested features
3 requests- More detailed and comprehensive pilot scenarios
- Improved voice recognition and speech-to-text accuracy
- Better alignment with FAA instructions and procedures
In-app purchases
SAE Aero Design
No in-app purchases
Comms
- Comms Premium Weekly2 variants$6.997 Days
- Comms Premium Monthly2 variants$14.991 Month
- Comms Premium Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
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- Comms Premium Yearly3 Days trial$79.991 Year
- Study Guide Private Pilot w/Premium$9.99
- 25 Scan Credits$9.99
- Pro - Unlock All Comms$12.99
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- Study Guide Commercial Pilot$14.99
- 50 Scan Credits$14.99
- Study Guide Private Pilot$19.99









