# Aircraft Heading vs Holding Pattern Trainer

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.

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 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aircraft Heading | Holding Pattern Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [2.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aircraft-heading/id300884541/reviews) | **[4.1 (114 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holding-pattern-trainer/id456327713/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **114** |
| Positive reviews | 48.0% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#46** |
| Size | 34 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iAware](https://appshunter.io/developer/300399959) | [FLEMINGER MEDIA LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/427480054) |

## What reviewers say

### Aircraft Heading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aircraft-heading/id300884541)

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.

**Highlights:** Photorealistic heading indicator, Analog and digital readouts, Smooth, realistic meter movement, Simulation mode for indoor use, Rotation lock, Improved graphics

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Holding Pattern Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holding-pattern-trainer/id456327713)

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for practicing holds
- 💡 Excellent visualization tool
- 🚀 Helps learn fast
- ✅ Accurate for many users
- 🧠 Reinforces knowledge

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Incorrect entries/drawings
- ⚠️ Wrong answers/info
- 😞 Wastes valuable time
- 💸 Overpriced for some
- 🤔 Confusing for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Entries are wrong for turns
- Plan view is incorrect
- App drawing entries in wrong directions
- Slicing the fix completely wrong
- Bearing questions are wrong

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aircraft Heading free?

Aircraft Heading costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Holding Pattern Trainer free?

Holding Pattern Trainer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer?

Holding Pattern Trainer is rated higher. Aircraft Heading averages 2.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Holding Pattern Trainer averages 4.1 from 114 ratings.

### Do Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer have ads?

Neither Aircraft Heading nor Holding Pattern Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aircraft Heading or Holding Pattern Trainer?

Aircraft Heading ships an update every 2 months, and Holding Pattern Trainer every 5 months. Most recently, Aircraft Heading was updated on September 10, 2026 and Holding Pattern Trainer on September 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*