Comparison

Private Pilot Checkride vs Private Pilot Oral Prep

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

Head to head
About

Private Pilot Checkride

Prepare for your private pilot practical exam with over 900 questions and answers based on FAA standards. This app helps identify knowledge gaps and build confidence for your checkride, covering all essential aviation topics.

Highlights
  • Over 900 exam-style questions and answers
  • Aligned with FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS)
  • Answers with FAA references and ACS codes
  • Flag questions for custom study sets
  • Includes Applicant Practical Test Checklist
  • Covers all essential private pilot topics
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Using a question-and-answer format, Private Pilot Checkride lists the questions most likely to be asked by examiners during the last step in the pilot certification process – the Practical Exam – and provides succinct, ready responses. Pilots will find this App an indispensable tool in both planning for what to expect during the airplane checkride and mastering the subject matter. Instructors rate them as excellent preparation for students, as well as preps for Flight Reviews, aircraft transitions, and as general refresher material. This Private Pilot Checkride app is based on the popular Private Oral Exam Guide book by Jason Blair and aligns with the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS). It is designed for student pilots training for the Private Pilot Certificate with an airplane rating. More than 900 questions and responses ensure all the subjects a Private Pilot candidate will be tested on during a checkride and review flight are covered. Topics include: pilot qualifications and limitations, aircraft airworthiness requirements, preflight procedures, postflight procedures, human factors, performance and limitations, airport operations, national airspace system, weather information, cross-country flight planning, night operations, emergency equipment and survival gear, and scenario-based training. Answers and explanations were researched using FAA documents (which are identified so pilots know where to go for further study) as well as interviewing FAA examiners and include the corresponding ACS code. Questions can be marked for further study from any subject to build your own collection of flashcards. An Applicant Practical Test Checklist and quick-reference to the Private Pilot maneuvers and tolerances (as defined in the Airman Certification Standards) are also included. Compatible with iOS phones and tablets, this app teaches applicants not only what to expect, but also how to exhibit subject mastery and confidence when under the examiner’s scrutiny. It identifies candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in their aeronautical knowledge, which increases study efficiency. App features: • More than 800 questions are included with succinct, ready responses. • Questions from any subject can be flagged for further study into a separate group. • Includes all the questions and answers from the popular book, Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide by Jason Blair. • Answers supported with FAA references and ACS codes. • Brought to you by a trusted resource in aviation training and publishing, Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).

About

Private Pilot Oral Prep

Prepare for your private pilot oral exam with over 450 common questions and answers across 12 aviation topics. Study in a flashcard style with optional graphical images and track your progress to build confidence for your FAA practical test.

Highlights
  • Over 450 oral exam questions
  • 12 study topics
  • Flashcard style learning
  • Graphical images included
  • Progress tracking
  • Topic selection
Features
Read full description

Preparing for the oral exam portion of a Private Pilot practical test can be daunting. Private Pilot Oral Prep includes over 450 common oral exam questions with suggested answers. The student pilot can select one of 12 topics for each study session. Questions are presented in flashcard style. Graphical images are provided when needed. When the student views the suggested answer, they can indicate if they answered satisfactorily or if they would like to review the question again. Learning all of the questions allows the student pilot to be prepared and confident for the FAA Private Pilot Practical Test for Airplane. The topics included are aircraft engines & systems, aircraft performance, airport operations, airspace, avionics & navigation, emergencies, federal aviation regulations, flight instruments, human factors, principles of flight, VFR charts and weather. The app is free with 3 of the 12 topics unlocked. The remaining topics can be purchased with a single In-App purchase.

Screenshots

Private Pilot Checkride4 screens
Private Pilot Oral Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private Pilot Oral Prep at Free against Private Pilot Checkride's $9.99. Private Pilot Oral Prep also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.0). Private Pilot Checkride's advantage is rating (3.3 vs 2.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

Private Pilot Oral Prep is free to download; Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99 up front. Private Pilot Oral Prep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Private Pilot Checkride asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Private Pilot Checkride holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Checkride has 20 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Private Pilot Checkride's written reviews are positive against 33% of Private Pilot Oral Prep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Pilot Checkride ships an update every 19 months, Private Pilot Oral Prep every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Private Pilot Checkride versus Private Pilot Oral Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Pilot CheckridePrivate Pilot Oral Prep
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating3.3 (20 ratings) — better2.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews52.2% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings20 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 19 monthsEvery 10 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#148 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperASAFirst Solo Software, LLC

Customer experience

Private Pilot Checkride

All ratings20 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive52.2%
Neutral17.4%
Negative30.4%

Private Pilot Oral Prep

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

Private Pilot Checkride

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Private Pilot Oral Prep

One-time1
  • All Topics$29.99

Questions

Is Private Pilot Checkride free?
Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Private Pilot Oral Prep free?
Private Pilot Oral Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Checkride or Private Pilot Oral Prep?
Private Pilot Checkride is rated higher. Private Pilot Checkride averages 3.3 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Private Pilot Oral Prep averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Private Pilot Checkride or Private Pilot Oral Prep have ads?
Neither Private Pilot Checkride nor Private Pilot Oral Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Checkride or Private Pilot Oral Prep?
Private Pilot Checkride ships an update every 19 months, and Private Pilot Oral Prep every 10 months. Most recently, Private Pilot Checkride was updated on October 23, 2026 and Private Pilot Oral Prep on October 24, 2026.

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