Comparison

USPA SIM vs Paragliding Pilot

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

Head to head
About

USPA SIM

This manual outlines the United States Parachute Association's basic safety requirements and recommendations for safe skydiving. It details programs for recognizing individual expertise and proficiency in the sport. Users should consult additional resources for clarification.

Highlights
  • Basic Safety Requirements
  • Skydiving recommendations
  • Individual proficiency programs
  • Information for skydivers
  • USPA administered programs
Features
Read full description

USPA Skydiver's Information Manual (SIM) The United States Parachute Association's Skydiver's Information Manual provides basic skydiving standards (the Basic Safety Requirements) and recommendations agreed upon by USPA members for the conduct of safe and enjoyable skydiving. It also describes the programs USPA administers to recognize individuals for their expertise, ability to train others, and proficiency or tenure in the sport. Although the SIM provides much basic information for skydivers, each jumper should research further and consult USPA and industry officials, documents, and other produced media, as well as other reliable individuals for clarification and additional information. USPA MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS MANUAL. PEOPLE RELYING THEREON DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK.

About

Paragliding Pilot

Features
Read full description

PPilot (Paragliding Pilot) is a comprehensive flight assistant and data center designed specifically for paragliding pilots. Maximize your flight safety and XC performance with high-precision vario audio, real-time GPS altitude and vertical speed tracking, regional thermal heatmaps, and AI-powered weather forecasts. KEY FEATURES: - ACCURATE VARIO AND AUDIO MODES: Utilizes your device's barometric pressure sensor to measure vertical speed with 0.1m precision. Customizable beep tones and voice guidance keep you in the lift. - FLIGHT LOGGING AND IGC/GPX EXPORT: Continuously records your flights in the background. Export flight logs in IGC, GPX, KML, or CSV formats. - THERMAL MAP AND AI ANALYSIS: Discover community thermal hotspots, automatically extract thermal circles from your tracks, and receive thermal proximity alerts. - LIVE WEATHER AND SIMULATOR: Monitor wind speed, direction, gusts, and flyability indicators. Plan ahead with the integrated thermal simulator tool. - DETAILED STATISTICS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Review total flight duration, max altitude, distance covered, and unlock pilot achievement badges. Fly safe and enjoy the thermals!

Screenshots

USPA SIM4 screens
Paragliding Pilot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: USPA SIM at none against Paragliding Pilot's shown. USPA SIM also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). Paragliding Pilot's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 33 months). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

USPA SIM ships an update every 33 months, Paragliding Pilot every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
USPA SIM versus Paragliding Pilot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUSPA SIMParagliding Pilot
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (28 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings28 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 33 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUnited States Parachute AssociationIHSAN KAPTAN KABAHASANOGLU

In-app purchases

None

USPA SIM

No in-app purchases

None

Paragliding Pilot

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is USPA SIM free?
USPA SIM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Paragliding Pilot free?
Paragliding Pilot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do USPA SIM or Paragliding Pilot have ads?
Paragliding Pilot shows ads; USPA SIM does not.
Which is updated more often, USPA SIM or Paragliding Pilot?
USPA SIM ships an update every 33 months, and Paragliding Pilot every 2 days. Most recently, USPA SIM was updated on October 23, 2026 and Paragliding Pilot on October 25, 2026.

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