# Sporty's E6B Flight Computer vs Holding Pattern Trainer

The clearest difference is rating: Sporty's E6B Flight Computer at 4.9 against Holding Pattern Trainer's 4.1. Sporty's E6B Flight Computer also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 114). Holding Pattern Trainer's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $9.99) and review sentiment (77% vs 59%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer costs $9.99 and Holding Pattern Trainer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sporty's E6B Flight Computer has 5.3K ratings behind it against 114, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Sporty's E6B Flight Computer'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.

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer ships an update every 4 weeks, Holding Pattern Trainer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sporty's E6B Flight Computer | Holding Pattern Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-e6b-flight-computer/id371817955/reviews)** | [4.1 (114 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holding-pattern-trainer/id456327713/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.3K** | 114 |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | #14 |
| Size | 12 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) | [FLEMINGER MEDIA LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/427480054) |

## What reviewers say

### Sporty's E6B Flight Computer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-e6b-flight-computer/id371817955)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Navigation, #146 Top Grossing · Navigation, #186 Top Paid (US App Store)

This aviation calculator app offers 27 functions for navigation, fuel calculations, and conversions. It includes a versatile timer for tracking multiple time zones and performing countdowns with alerts. Designed for pilots, it simplifies complex flight planning and in-flight computations.

**Highlights:** 27 Aviation Functions, 22 Aviation Conversions, Navigational Calculations, Fuel Calculations, Advanced Timer/Clock, Zulu, Local, and Home Time Tracking, Basic Arithmetic Calculator

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Calculates everything so much faster
- 👍 Easy and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Provides all the tools needed
- 👍 Organized and easy to use
- 👍 Useful for aviation and non-aviation calculations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keyboard issues on iPad and iOS
- 🐛 Bugs and inaccurate calculations
- 💡 Lacks weight and balance feature
- 💡 Missing conversion factors and formulas
- 💡 Needs more flexibility with formulas

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not working on iPad and iOS 26
- Pressure altitude tool not accepting certain numbers
- Weight and balance not accepting decimal points
- Heading and groundspeed calculations not working
- Density altitude calculation issues

**Requested features**

- Add weight and balance feature
- Improve Apple Watch support
- Add cold temperature correction for DA and MDA
- Add glide path calculation to TOD
- Add time calculation like on electronic E6B


### Holding Pattern Trainer

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

**Currently charting:** #14 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 Sporty's E6B Flight Computer free?

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer costs $9.99, 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, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Holding Pattern Trainer?

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer is rated higher. Sporty's E6B Flight Computer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings, while Holding Pattern Trainer averages 4.1 from 114 ratings.

### Do Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Holding Pattern Trainer have ads?

Neither Sporty's E6B Flight Computer nor Holding Pattern Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Holding Pattern Trainer?

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer ships an update every 4 weeks, and Holding Pattern Trainer every 5 months. Most recently, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer was updated on September 24, 2026 and Holding Pattern Trainer on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Sporty's E6B Flight Computer or Holding Pattern Trainer?

Sporty's E6B Flight Computer currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and Holding Pattern Trainer at #14. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*