Aircraft Heading vs Holding Pattern Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Aircraft Heading
This app provides a realistic aircraft heading indicator, mimicking analog aviation instruments. It features both analog and digital readouts, with a simulation mode for indoor use. Requires a device with a compass or GPS and a clear sky view.
- Photorealistic heading indicator
- Analog and digital readouts
- Smooth, realistic meter movement
- Simulation mode for indoor use
- Rotation lock
- Improved graphics
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Displays a photorealistic aircraft style heading indicator on your device. Modeled after analog instrumentation in general aviation aircraft. The meter movement is smooth and realistic. New version includes 1. Improved Graphics 2. Rotation Lock 3. Bug Fixes 4. Supports Latest iOS version and Device Displays both the analog instrument and a digital readout. Includes a simulation mode that allows the instrument to be demonstrated indoors without a GPS signal. Requires a device with a built in Compass or a built in GPS and a good GPS signal with a clear view of the sky. This software has been tested with firmware version 6.x and up only.
Holding Pattern Trainer
Master IFR holding pattern entries on your mobile device to save time and money on instrument flight training. Practice at your convenience to make choosing the correct entry a breeze.
- Entry Trainer for holding pattern drills
- Holding calculator for scenario visualization
- Holding tutorial for quick learning
- Practice at your own pace
- Save on flight and ground lessons
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Save time and money on your instrument flight training by mastering IFR holding pattern entries at the comfort of your own mobile device. Make IFR flight training easier! Is the following scenario familiar? You receive a holding clearance from ATC, and only have a couple of minutes, sometimes only a few seconds, to choose the correct entry. By the time you've figured out what's going on, you've already passed the holding fix and don't know what to do next. If this sounds familiar, then you need not to worry. Confusion during holding entries happens to practically almost every new instrument student. Even instrument-rated pilots occasionally have the same problem — when they don't get enough practice. Holding Trainer solves this problem and as a result, cuts the time you have to spend on expensive flight and ground lessons. With Holding Trainer, you can practice on your own time and convenience, so that choosing the best holding entry in the air becomes a breeze. Features: -Entry Trainer - Drills you on choosing the best holding entry. Practice until choosing holding entries becomes second nature and impress your flight instructor with your skills. -Holding calculator. Solve and visualize any holding scenario by entering your current bearing to the fix and a outbound or inbound holding radial. -Holding tutorial - learn how to choose the best holding entry quickly and easily. Holding Trainer for iOS is a complete rewrite based on my popular Flash-based desktop Holding Trainer app available on pilotscafe.com. ***Don't get "stuck" next time you receive a holding pattern clearance!*** ---------------------------------- For only a fraction of the cost of one ground lesson with your flight instructor, you can practice this important instrument skill at your own pace and save hundreds of Dollars on figuring out holding entries in the air. This is a great tool for anyone training towards their instrument checkride, CFII, proficiency check, or simply trying to improve their holding patterns. ----------------------------------
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Holding Pattern Trainer at 4.1 against Aircraft Heading's 2.3. Holding Pattern Trainer also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 48%) and ratings volume (114 vs 12). Aircraft Heading's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $4.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On ads, in-app purchases, 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
Aircraft Heading costs $0.99 and Holding Pattern Trainer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Holding Pattern Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Holding Pattern Trainer has 114 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Aircraft Heading's written reviews are positive against 77% of Holding Pattern Trainer's.
Aircraft Heading ships an update every 2 months, Holding Pattern Trainer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Aircraft Heading | Holding Pattern Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 2.3 (12 ratings) | 4.1 (114 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 48.0% of reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 | 114 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #24 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | iAware | FLEMINGER MEDIA LLC |
Customer experience
Aircraft Heading
Holding Pattern Trainer
Bugs and requests
Aircraft Heading
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Holding Pattern Trainer
Reported bugs
15 issues- Entries are wrong for turns
- Plan view is incorrect
- App drawing entries in wrong directions
- Slicing the fix completely wrong
- Bearing questions are wrong
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- App does not apply reciprocal track to 'pod'
- Giving wrong answers
- Visualizer is mirrored to map plan view (user confusion)
- Practice screen plan view incorrect
- App craps out and goes to a black screen
- Guide lines separating direct, parallel, and teardrop incorrectly in practice mode visualization
- Not updated for iOS 11
- App loads upside down
- Button sensitivity could be better
- Cannot change values on hold computer
Requested features
11 requests- Include more methods in tutorial
- Add teardrop heading to fly
- Allow practice with bearings on/off
- Show outbound teardrop/inbound parallel correction headings
- Work in portrait mode
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Add voice ATC instructions
- More variety in questions
- Larger text for older users
- More tips for newbies
- Ability to fly the hold like a nav trainer
- Use real-life ATC phrases in exercises
In-app purchases
Aircraft Heading
No in-app purchases
Holding Pattern Trainer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Aircraft Heading free?
Is Holding Pattern Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer?
Do Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer?
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