Navigator vs Holding Pattern Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Navigator
This app simulates instrument flying for pilots. Learn how aircraft instruments react to changes in position and orientation, or test your skills by determining aircraft location based on instrument readings. It's designed for general aviation pilots to practice navigation.
- Interactive instrument simulation
- Learn mode for understanding instrument response
- Test mode for location determination
- Adjustable map orientation
- VOR OBS setting
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Navigator is an instrument training program for general aviation pilots. It operates in two modes. In Learn mode you move and/or rotate the items on the map (VOR 1, VOR 2, NDB, aircraft) and see how the instruments (VOR 1, VOR 2, ADF, HI) respond. You can also change the orientation of the map by rotating the compass arrow. In Test mode the map is put into a random configuration and your task is to determine the aircraft location. Move and/or rotate the aircraft until it is in the the position indicated by the instruments. You can also set the OBS on the VORs.
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: Navigator at 5.0 against Holding Pattern Trainer's 4.1. Navigator also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). Holding Pattern Trainer's advantage is ratings volume (114 vs 3) and chart position (#22 vs unranked). On price, 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
Navigator costs $4.99 and Holding Pattern Trainer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Navigator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Holding Pattern Trainer has 114 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Navigator's written reviews are positive against 77% of Holding Pattern Trainer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Navigator ships an update every 3 months, Holding Pattern Trainer every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Navigator | Holding Pattern Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.1 (114 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 114 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #22 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Laurie Davis | FLEMINGER MEDIA LLC |
Customer experience
Navigator
Holding Pattern Trainer
Bugs and requests
Navigator
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
Navigator
No in-app purchases
Holding Pattern Trainer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Navigator free?
Is Holding Pattern Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Navigator or Holding Pattern Trainer?
Do Navigator or Holding Pattern Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Navigator or Holding Pattern Trainer?
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