Comparison

Private Pilot Checkride vs Steep Turns

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
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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

Steep Turns

Learn essential private pilot maneuvers with HD video demonstrations, common error analysis, and FAA standards. Includes a free handbook, practical test standards, and a stall/maneuvering speed calculator. Test your knowledge with an included quiz.

Highlights
  • HD video demonstrations of flight maneuvers
  • Common errors and how to avoid them
  • FAA Private Pilot Practical Test Standards
  • Free FAA Airplane Flying Handbook
  • Stall Speed and Maneuvering Speed calculator
  • Knowledge testing quiz
Features
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This app includes 10 minutes of HD video showing how to fly steep turns, including common errors and PTS standards. A free copy of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook and the Private Pilot Practical Test Standards are also included in this free app. After watching the video take the quiz included in the App to test your knowledge. For a complete learning experience, we included a free Stall Speed and Maneuvering Speed calculator in this App! AOPA PILOT magazine called our Apps "solid and reliable" in it's Dec 2011 issue. AOPA Flight Training Magazine featured one of our Apps in it's December 2012 issue highlighting the exceptional quality and learning experience of our App. The full Private Pilot Course that is available here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/private-pilot-course-flight/id543330798?ls=1&mt=8 gives you two and a half hours of in-flight HD video and detailed animation including an in depth explanation of the takeoffs, landings and maneuvers needed to pass your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test. All Takeoffs, Landings and Maneuvers are flown in a Cessna 172 in San Diego. We filmed each maneuver with multiple cameras and camera angles and provide real HD quality for the best learning experience. All video and animations are designed to help you understand how to perform everything correctly. We use no fillers that waste your time. Just what you need to know and how to do it right. It's the perfect way for student pilots to prepare for every flight lesson or private pilots for your flight review. The Private Pilot Course - Flight App contains: •Normal and Crosswind Take Off •Short Field and Soft Field Take Off •Normal and Crosswind Landings •Short Field and Soft Field Landings •Rectangular Course •Turns Around a Point •S-Turns •Slow Flight •Power On Stall •Power Off Stall •Emergency Descents •Emergency Approach and Landing •Steeps Turns •Go Arounds •Explanation of PTS standards for each maneuver •Common errors (and how to avoid them) for each maneuver Visit www.flighttrainingapps.com for a free preview and information on additional products.

Screenshots

Private Pilot Checkride4 screens
Steep Turns4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Steep Turns at 100% against Private Pilot Checkride's 52%. Steep Turns also leads on price (Free vs $9.99) and rating (5.0 vs 3.3). Private Pilot Checkride's advantage is chart position (#70 vs unranked) and ratings volume (20 vs 4). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases 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

Steep Turns is free to download; Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Steep Turns holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Checkride has 20 ratings behind it against 4, 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 100% of Steep Turns's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Pilot Checkride ships an update every 19 months, Steep Turns every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Private Pilot Checkride versus Steep Turns: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Pilot CheckrideSteep Turns
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating3.3 (20 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 19 months — betterEvery 21 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#70 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB443 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperASAFlight Training Apps, Inc.

Customer experience

Private Pilot Checkride

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

Steep Turns

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Private Pilot Checkride

No in-app purchases

None

Steep Turns

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private Pilot Checkride free?
Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Steep Turns free?
Steep Turns is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Checkride or Steep Turns?
Steep Turns is rated higher. Private Pilot Checkride averages 3.3 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Steep Turns averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Private Pilot Checkride or Steep Turns have ads?
Neither Private Pilot Checkride nor Steep Turns shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Checkride or Steep Turns?
Private Pilot Checkride ships an update every 19 months, and Steep Turns every 21 months. Most recently, Private Pilot Checkride was updated on November 7, 2026 and Steep Turns on November 1, 2026.

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