Comparison

Prepware Commercial Pilot vs IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

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

Head to head
About

Prepware Commercial Pilot

Prepare for your FAA Knowledge Exam with this comprehensive study and test tool. It offers flashcard-style review of questions, answers, and explanations, allowing you to study by subject or take realistic practice tests.

Highlights
  • Flashcard-style review
  • Questions, answers, and explanations
  • Study by subject
  • Practice tests
  • FAA Knowledge Exam preparation
Features
Currently charting
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Comprehensive preparation, study and test tool for the FAA Knowledge Exam. Flashcard style review of questions, answers and explanations included for you to study by subject or with a true-to-form practice test.

About

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

This aviation trainer helps IFR pilots and students master complex holding procedures through explanations, visual aids, and interactive learning. It includes a test module and a quick finder map to enhance understanding and preparation for exams.

Highlights
  • Interactive learning system
  • Visual illustrations of holding patterns
  • Direct, parallel, and teardrop entry explanations
  • Test module with feedback
  • Quick Finder map view
  • Tested by real pilots and instructors
Features
Read full description

Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor is specially designed for IFR pilots and students to better understand how to manage holdings, one of the most complex IFR procedures. This app provides significant insights into holding procedures as an educational method, combining clear explanations, visual illustrations, and interactive practice tools. ALREADY TESTED BY REAL PILOTS AND INSTRUCTORS Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor has been developed and tested by real pilots and trainers, covering the full range of holding scenarios, including situations that frequently cause difficulties in real operations. This ensures a learning experience that goes beyond any other app available in this area. CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVED AT FLIGHT SCHOOLS The teaching method implemented in Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor is used at flight schools all around the world, contributing to a higher proportion of successful exams. This achievement makes our app so popular among students and instructors alike. INTERACTIVE LEARNING SYSTEM The built-in interactive learning system guides users through all three holding entry types - direct, parallel, and teardrop - with step-by-step explanations and visual illustrations. The exclusive FlyGo Trick provides a simple six-step method to always select the correct entry type with confidence. TEST MODULE The test module lets users practise identifying the correct entry procedure for any combination of aircraft heading and inbound course, with immediate visual feedback to reinforce learning. TIMING QUIZ A dedicated quiz module to master outbound leg timing. Users practise calculating the required outbound flight time based on observed inbound duration and altitude, and learn to apply the EASA wind correction rule for precise heading corrections. INTERCEPT AND TRACK QUIZ Sharpen your intercept and tracking skills with practical quiz questions: determine the correct intercept angle based on CDI deviation and inbound course, and calculate wind-corrected headings for accurate track following. QUICK FINDER Quick Finder provides an interactive compass and heading control where all critical paths and directions of the holding pattern are visualised in real time. Students can instantly see the correct entry type, standard and non-standard pattern variants, and experiment with any combination of heading and inbound course - with an optional help overlay for guided learning. GAME MODE Put your knowledge to the ultimate test with the gamified map-based practice mode. Compete for the best score and challenge others via Game Center integration. ----- FOR STUDENTS If you are a student, then we wish good luck for the preparation and good luck for the examination! FOR INSTRUCTORS If you are a flight trainer, then we hope you will find useful our app and it helps your students better understand holding patterns! Enjoy our app and FLY SAFE! The FlyGo-Aviation team

Screenshots

Prepware Commercial Pilot4 screens
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Prepware Commercial Pilot at 2.8 against IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's 2.0. Prepware Commercial Pilot also leads on ratings volume (35 vs 2) and chart position (#88 vs unranked). IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's advantage is price ($5.99 vs $9.99). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Prepware Commercial Pilot costs $9.99 and IFR Holding Pattern Trainer $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Prepware Commercial Pilot holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Prepware Commercial Pilot has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Prepware Commercial Pilot's written reviews are positive against 40% of IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Prepware Commercial Pilot ships an update every 4 months, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Prepware Commercial Pilot versus IFR Holding Pattern Trainer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrepware Commercial PilotIFR Holding Pattern Trainer
Price$9.99$5.99 — better
Rating2.8 (35 ratings) — better2.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews38.1% of reviews40.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings35 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank#88 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB151 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperASAFlygo-Aviation Ltd

Customer experience

Prepware Commercial Pilot

All ratings35 ratings
Positive37.1%
Neutral17.1%
Negative45.7%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive38.1%
Neutral16.7%
Negative45.2%

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

None

Prepware Commercial Pilot

No in-app purchases

None

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Prepware Commercial Pilot free?
Prepware Commercial Pilot costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is IFR Holding Pattern Trainer free?
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Prepware Commercial Pilot or IFR Holding Pattern Trainer?
Prepware Commercial Pilot is rated higher. Prepware Commercial Pilot averages 2.8 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while IFR Holding Pattern Trainer averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Prepware Commercial Pilot or IFR Holding Pattern Trainer have ads?
Neither Prepware Commercial Pilot nor IFR Holding Pattern Trainer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Prepware Commercial Pilot or IFR Holding Pattern Trainer?
Prepware Commercial Pilot ships an update every 4 months, and IFR Holding Pattern Trainer every 3 months. Most recently, Prepware Commercial Pilot was updated on September 25, 2026 and IFR Holding Pattern Trainer on September 7, 2026.

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