Xavion vs PFMA E6B LITE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Xavion
This app provides critical in-flight guidance for engine failures, calculating safe glide routes to airports. It also offers 3D instrument approaches, tracks aircraft and their wake turbulence, and displays real-time weather data. Additionally, it assists with pre-flight planning, weight and balance calculations, and takeoff performance analysis.
- Engine-out glide path calculation
- 3D instrument approaches
- ADS-B aircraft and wake turbulence tracking
- Real-time ADS-B weather display
- Weight and balance calculations
- Takeoff distance estimation
- Enroute time and fuel burn estimation
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In flight, Xavion constantly imagines engine-failed glides to every runway in gliding range, and then shows you the safest-possible route as a Highway-In-The-Sky to take to an airport in the event of engine failure. This, finally, gives you guidance after an engine failure that is based on energy-management all the way down. Xavion also has instrument approaches in 3-D for the United States, so you can simply select any approach and then fly through the hoops to fly it! As well, Xavion tracks other airplanes via ADS-B, and memorizes their location to track their WAKE TURBULENCE, moving the wake turbulence down and with the wind over time, showing the wake turbulence as little spiraling tornados. Finally, an App that tracks and shows you the wake turbulence of other airplanes. As well, Xavion gets ADS-B weather if you have a portable receiver, and displays it, including the new icing, turbulence, and lightning products. Xavion also gets METARS and winds aloft from the internet if you have a WIFI or cell signal to help you plan before a flight! Also, Xavion checks your weight and balance, and even estimates your takeoff distance and compares that to the length of the runway that you are about to take off on to warn you if the available runway length from your current location is marginal for a safe take-off. Also, Xavion estimates time and fuel burn at all different altitudes to any destination, showing you the time and fuel burn required for each altitude enroute, so you can pick the best altitude. All USA VFR and IFR charts and plates are included with base subscription. Terms of use and Privacy Policy can be found at: http://xavion.com/xavion-privacy-policy-and-terms-of-service/ Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
PFMA E6B LITE
This flight management assistant emulates traditional "Wizz Wheel" functions for aviation calculations. It offers a familiar cockpit interface with customizable units and a comfortable keypad for inflight use. This limited version includes essential formulas for airspeed, wind, fuel, and unit conversions.
- Emulates traditional E6B "Wizz Wheel" functions
- Real-life avionics look and feel
- Customizable quick access buttons
- Configurable units
- Comfortable keypad for inflight use
- Basic math calculator
- Selectable themes
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Pocket Flight Management Assistant (PFMA) is a flight computer designed for the professional pilot, with a familiar look resembling the computers onboard most modern automated cockpits. The E6B Edition emulates the functions present on the traditional "Wizz Wheel" providing the pilot with a complete and powerful solution for flight planning and inflight aviation calculations. Features: - Real life avionics look & feel - Customizable quick access buttons - Configurable units - Comfortable keypad for inflight use - Basic math calculator functionality - Selectable themes Formulas included: - Airspeed and altitude - Wind triangle - Runway crosswind - Fuel usage - Unit conversions This is a limited version. The full version includes: - Great circle navigation (point to point) - Vertical profile (descent/climb) - Block and airtime chronographs - Holding Patterns - Sunrise-Sunset - Rate of turn
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Xavion at 4.3 against PFMA E6B LITE's 3.8. Xavion also leads on ratings volume (100 vs 4). PFMA E6B LITE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Xavion sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. PFMA E6B LITE asks for nothing beyond the download.
Xavion holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Xavion has 100 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Xavion's written reviews are positive against 100% of PFMA E6B LITE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
| Parameter | Xavion | PFMA E6B LITE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (100 ratings) — better | 3.8 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 100 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3.5 GB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | X-Avionics, LLC | Gonzalo Esteban Astica Capra |
Customer experience
Xavion
PFMA E6B LITE
Bugs and requests
Xavion
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes when adding new airports
- Flight recording stops during touch-and-go landings
- Runway guidance sometimes hidden by terrain or trees
- Approach procedure turn opposite of plate indication
- App freezes entire iPad when trial period expires
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- Incompatibility with X-Plane 11 connection
- Ghost hijacking of other apps after trial expiration
- App fails to open after updates
- Display issues on iPad mini 6
- Inconsistent airport database with generic runway lengths outside USA
- Altimeter takes QNH from distant airport causing altitude errors
- App behaves like virus during trial period
Requested features
19 requests- Support for EU, UK, and international regions
- Canadian VFR charts and airport data
- iPhone X and newer device compatibility
- Custom waypoint addition for VFR flight plans
- Multiple flight plan legs support
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- Manual altimeter adjustment capability
- Negative coordinate input support
- Integration with Seattle Avionics existing subscriptions
- Fixed-pitch propeller glide calculations
- 3D airspace visualization
- Cloud storage for backup and device transfer
- Runway-specific lateral guidance (not just airport center)
- User waypoint database
- Improved user interface design
- Lock runway feature to prevent approach switching
- Better terrain view visualization
- Stratus/Scout GPS receiver support
- Free chart integration from FAA
- Certified panel replacement option
PFMA E6B LITE
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Xavion
- Airport, Chart, and Plate Data$9.991 Month
- Airport, Chart, and Plate Data$99.991 Year
PFMA E6B LITE
No in-app purchases









