Comparison

PilotAssist vs FAA

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

Head to head
About

PilotAssist

This app provides essential aviation calculations and references for student and everyday pilots. It offers tools for fuel, temperature, and time conversions, runway headings, crosswind calculations, descent planning, and airport weather retrieval.

Highlights
  • Fuel, temperature, and time conversion
  • Landing crosswind calculator
  • Descent planner
  • Airport weather (METAR) retrieval
  • Runway reciprocal finder
  • Flight briefing tips
Features
Read full description

PilotAssist is built for student pilots and everyday flying—providing simple, reliable tools to support real-world decision making in the cockpit and during flight planning. Quickly access essential aviation calculations and references, all in one clean, easy-to-use app: • Fuel Conversion – Convert AvGas between gallons and pounds • Temperature Conversion – Instantly switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit • Time Conversion – Convert local time to Zulu (UTC) with ease • Runway Reciprocal – Find the opposite runway heading instantly • Landing Crosswind Calculator – Determine headwind, crosswind, and tailwind components with a visual wind indicator • Descent Planner – Know when to begin your descent based on altitude, rate, and groundspeed • Airport Weather (METAR) – Retrieve real-time weather observations by airport identifier • Flight Briefing Tips – Prepare for calls to 1800WXBrief with confidence PilotAssist is designed to help pilots answer common questions quickly: How much crosswind will I have on landing? When should I start my descent? What’s the current weather at my destination? How do I convert this fuel, time, or temperature? Whether you’re in training or flying regularly, PilotAssist keeps essential tools right at your fingertips. Important: PilotAssist is intended as a reference tool only. Always verify calculations, weather data, and flight planning information using official FAA sources, aircraft documentation, and proper instruction.

About

FAA

Features
Read full description

Master your FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test with a study app built to make exam preparation simple and structured and efficient. No matter if you are starting your flight training or brushing up before test day app gives you the tools to learn faster and retain the concepts that matter. Track your test performance revisit missed questions and strengthen your skills with targeted practice. App is built for aspiring pilots who want a reliable and easy way to prepare anytime and anywhere. Study with confidence and move closer to earning your Private Pilot certificate. Included Test Categories: Aerodynamics Airspace Flight Operations Cross Country Planning Flight Instruments Communications and Radar Services Weather Electronic Navigation Federal Aviation Regulations Weight and Balance Disclaimer: Some content and features in this app are available only through an inapp purchase or active subscription. Access to all tests premium questions and advanced features requires purchasing these options. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/bhautikkumar/privacy-policy Terms & Conditions : https://sites.google.com/view/bhautikkumar/term-and-conditions

Screenshots

PilotAssist4 screens
FAA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PilotAssist at none against FAA's 4. FAA's advantage is update cadence (every 8 months vs every 20 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads 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. FAA sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. PilotAssist asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PilotAssist ships an update every 20 months, FAA every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
PilotAssist versus FAA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPilotAssistFAA
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 20 monthsEvery 8 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.215.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB23 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKelly GayneauxBhautikkumar Kalariya

In-app purchases

None

PilotAssist

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

FAA

Subscriptions2
  • FAA Private Pilot : Yearly Pro$4.997 Days
  • FAA Private Pilot : Weekly Pro$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • FAA Private : Lifetime Gift Pro$9.99
  • FAA Private Pilot : Lifetime Pro$19.99

Questions

Is PilotAssist free?
PilotAssist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FAA free?
FAA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PilotAssist or FAA have ads?
Neither PilotAssist nor FAA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PilotAssist or FAA?
PilotAssist ships an update every 20 months, and FAA every 8 months. Most recently, PilotAssist was updated on October 30, 2026 and FAA on October 28, 2026.

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