Comparison

FAR/AIM vs Big Brown ToolKit

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FAR/AIM

Access comprehensive aviation regulations and the Aeronautical Information Manual on your mobile device. Stay updated with frequent content revisions and utilize powerful search and bookmarking tools for quick reference.

Highlights
  • Complete FAR/AIM text
  • Intelligent full-text search
  • Context-sensitive search
  • Bookmarks and highlights
  • Frequent content updates
  • Email sections
Features
Read full description

The FAR/AIM in your pocket. This app was built specifically for pilots and aviation professionals. It is a one-stop reference for those who are involved with flying. Updates? We do them frequently. About once per month for the regs and 2-3 times a year for the AIM and PC/G. You’ll be much more up-to-date than with the hard copies, which are typically updated only once per year. An in-app subscription grants access to ongoing content updates. Other features: • Free one-week trial for new users. Try it for yourself at no risk with no commitment. • Complete text FAR/AIM, namely 14 CFR, Chapter 1 (FAR) and NTSB 830, and Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), including charts and images. • Lightning fast browsing. • Intelligent search with full-text and header options. • Context sensitive search (limit search to certain sections). • Bookmarks and user highlights. • Saved search term history. • Email sections to friends. Contents: The complete FAA FAR. Don't be left missing regs. CFR 14 Parts 1, 3, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 43, 45, 47, 49, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67, 71, 73, 77, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 117, 119, 120, 121, 125, 129, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139, 141, 142, 145, 147, 150, 151, 152, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 161, 169, 170, 171, 183, 185, 187, 189, 193, 198. CFR 49, Part 830 (NTSB 830), Aeronautical Information Manual, PC/G. Like this app? Check out our other aviation applications: • FAA Test Prep - Private Pilot (PVT) • FAA Test Prep - Instrument Pilot (IR) • FAA Test Prep - Commercial Pilot (COM) • FAA Test Prep - Fundamentals of Instructing • FAA Test Prep - Aviation Mechanic General • FAA Test Prep - Aviation Mechanic Airframe • FAA Test Prep - Aviation Mechanic Powerplant Comments or questions? Email us at support@lawstack.com.

About

Big Brown ToolKit

This toolkit assists aircrew with daily tasks, offering calculations for duty periods, rest requirements, unit conversions, and weather decoding. It also includes tools for pay calculations, exchange rates, and specialized aviation metrics.

Highlights
  • Duty Period & Rest Calculations
  • Aviation Unit Conversions
  • Cross Wind & Runway State Decoding
  • SNOWTAM & Meteorological Decoding
  • Crew Rest & Pay Calculations
  • Low Temperature Altimetry & Density Altitude
Features
Currently charting
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This ToolKit is intended to assist aircrew in their day to day activities. Features: • Domestic and International Duty Period calc • Required Rest calc • Common aviation unit conversion calc • Cross Wind and Cross Wind Limit calc • 8 digit Runway State decoder • SNOWTAM decoder • Crew Rest timing calc • Whose Segment random selector • Late Arrival Pay calc • Exchange Rate calc • Meteorological Decode • Low Temperature Altimetry calc • Density Altitude calc • Turn Rate/Radius calc • Generic volume/weight fuel calc • Sick Day Tracker • Linear and bilinear integration tool This ToolKit can calculate Domestic and International Duty Period limitations for the various types of operations. The Cross Wind calc can be used to determine cross wind and head/tail wind values for a given runway and wind direction/speed along with the maximum wind strength from the set wind direction for a given cross wind limit. The Runway State decoder can be used to quickly decode weather reports that may contain the standard 8-digit code. This can be useful for Moscow flights etc. The SNOWTAM tool will provide assistance in decoding standard GRF SNOWTAMs. The Meteorological Decode tool that will allow you to quickly decode significant present and forecast weather codes (i.e. +TSRA). The Last Pushback Time calc will calculate the required pushback time to allow you to achieve an on-blocks time inside your max FDP time taking into consideration sector time and taxi times. You will also be able to set a Notification to alert you that you have passed the Last Pushback Time. The Low Temperature Altimetry calc can be used to determine altitude corrections for MSA and approaches conducted in low temperatures. The MEL Rectification calc will provide the expiry date for a deferred defect given the DD entry date and the rectification interval category. The Linear and bilinear integration tool for those occasions where you have to use tables.

Screenshots

FAR/AIM4 screens
Big Brown ToolKit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: FAR/AIM at Free against Big Brown ToolKit's $4.99. FAR/AIM also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 6) and device support (4 vs 2). Big Brown ToolKit's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

FAR/AIM is free to download; Big Brown ToolKit costs $4.99 up front. FAR/AIM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Big Brown ToolKit asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Big Brown ToolKit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FAR/AIM has 1.1K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of FAR/AIM's written reviews are positive against 100% of Big Brown ToolKit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
FAR/AIM versus Big Brown ToolKit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFAR/AIMBig Brown ToolKit
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.7 (1.1K ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K — better6
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#191 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTekk Innovations LLCStealth Productions Limited

Customer experience

FAR/AIM

All ratings1,108 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral1.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive63.2%
Neutral4.2%
Negative32.6%

Big Brown ToolKit

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

FAR/AIM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Highlighting causes app to crash
  • Bookmarking feature is unreliable
  • Subscription issues and billing problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to highlight and bookmark content
  • Improved organization and navigation
  • Sync across devices
  • Rotorcraft-specific regulations

Big Brown ToolKit

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FAR/AIM

One-time1
  • 1-Year Subscription$24.99
None

Big Brown ToolKit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FAR/AIM free?
FAR/AIM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Big Brown ToolKit free?
Big Brown ToolKit costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FAR/AIM or Big Brown ToolKit?
Big Brown ToolKit is rated higher. FAR/AIM averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Big Brown ToolKit averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do FAR/AIM or Big Brown ToolKit have ads?
Neither FAR/AIM nor Big Brown ToolKit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FAR/AIM or Big Brown ToolKit?
FAR/AIM ships an update fortnightly, and Big Brown ToolKit fortnightly. Most recently, FAR/AIM was updated on October 14, 2026 and Big Brown ToolKit on October 9, 2026.

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