Comparison

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer vs CFI DPE Scenario Maker

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

Head to head
About

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

This aviation trainer helps IFR pilots and students master complex holding procedures through explanations, visual aids, and interactive learning. It includes a test module and a quick finder map to enhance understanding and preparation for exams.

Highlights
  • Interactive learning system
  • Visual illustrations of holding patterns
  • Direct, parallel, and teardrop entry explanations
  • Test module with feedback
  • Quick Finder map view
  • Tested by real pilots and instructors
Features
Read full description

Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor is specially designed for IFR pilots and students to better understand how to manage holdings, one of the most complex IFR procedures. This app provides significant insights into holding procedures as an educational method, combining clear explanations, visual illustrations, and interactive practice tools. ALREADY TESTED BY REAL PILOTS AND INSTRUCTORS Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor has been developed and tested by real pilots and trainers, covering the full range of holding scenarios, including situations that frequently cause difficulties in real operations. This ensures a learning experience that goes beyond any other app available in this area. CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVED AT FLIGHT SCHOOLS The teaching method implemented in Holding Pattern (IFR) Instructor is used at flight schools all around the world, contributing to a higher proportion of successful exams. This achievement makes our app so popular among students and instructors alike. INTERACTIVE LEARNING SYSTEM The built-in interactive learning system guides users through all three holding entry types - direct, parallel, and teardrop - with step-by-step explanations and visual illustrations. The exclusive FlyGo Trick provides a simple six-step method to always select the correct entry type with confidence. TEST MODULE The test module lets users practise identifying the correct entry procedure for any combination of aircraft heading and inbound course, with immediate visual feedback to reinforce learning. TIMING QUIZ A dedicated quiz module to master outbound leg timing. Users practise calculating the required outbound flight time based on observed inbound duration and altitude, and learn to apply the EASA wind correction rule for precise heading corrections. INTERCEPT AND TRACK QUIZ Sharpen your intercept and tracking skills with practical quiz questions: determine the correct intercept angle based on CDI deviation and inbound course, and calculate wind-corrected headings for accurate track following. QUICK FINDER Quick Finder provides an interactive compass and heading control where all critical paths and directions of the holding pattern are visualised in real time. Students can instantly see the correct entry type, standard and non-standard pattern variants, and experiment with any combination of heading and inbound course - with an optional help overlay for guided learning. GAME MODE Put your knowledge to the ultimate test with the gamified map-based practice mode. Compete for the best score and challenge others via Game Center integration. ----- FOR STUDENTS If you are a student, then we wish good luck for the preparation and good luck for the examination! FOR INSTRUCTORS If you are a flight trainer, then we hope you will find useful our app and it helps your students better understand holding patterns! Enjoy our app and FLY SAFE! The FlyGo-Aviation team

About

CFI DPE Scenario Maker

This app generates randomized flight scenarios for pilot training and evaluation. It includes hundreds of events and triggers to create unique pre-flight and in-flight challenges for private, instrument, and commercial pilots. Scenarios can be shared with students to aid in practice and understanding of scenario-based testing.

Highlights
  • Randomized scenario generation
  • Pre-flight and in-flight scenarios
  • Customizable by pilot rating
  • Shareable scenarios
  • Hundreds of events and triggers
  • Supports Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)
Features
Read full description

JetWright's CFI/DPE Scenario creator creates randomized scenarios for teaching and evaluating private, instrument and commercial pilots, and for flight students to practice their skills in evaluating a cross-country scenario. The FAA has mandated scenario based teaching and testing and has published a list of events and triggers to use in scenarios to teach and evaluate flight students. This app takes scenario creation to another level. JetWright has included hundreds and hundreds of events and triggers that are all randomized to create a unique scenario each time. This scenario can then be shared with the student/applicant via text or email. We recognize that as a new or even experienced flight instructor, it can be difficult to come up with scenarios, especially good ones that include everything from weather to mechanical issues to environmental issues. As an examiner or evaluator it can be hard to keep your scenarios fresh and unpredictable. As a flight student it can be hard to study, practice and even understand what will be expected of you in scenario based testing. With this app you can get a new, randomized scenario each time you click the "Create Scenario" button. Simply select private, instrument or commercial, put in the origin airport, the destination airport, and click "Create Scenario". This will give you a scenario with two parts: preflight and during flight. If you don't like the scenario that was generated, simply click the button again and you will be given a completely different one. Once ready, click the share button to send the preflight scenario to the student/applicant. The during flight scenario is designed to be a discussion item during a flight test or a ground oral and is not currently designed to be shared. We have included hundreds of events and triggers and will continue to add to the lists. The events and triggers are designed to promote thought and are used to teach and evaluate Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). Some of the triggers are intentionally ambiguous in order to promote discussion on multiple possible outcomes.

Screenshots

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer4 screens
CFI DPE Scenario Maker3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: IFR Holding Pattern Trainer at $5.99 against CFI DPE Scenario Maker's $19.99. IFR Holding Pattern Trainer also leads on rating (2.0 vs 1.0) and review sentiment (40% vs 0%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer costs $5.99 and CFI DPE Scenario Maker $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer holds the better App Store score, 2.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's written reviews are positive against 0% of CFI DPE Scenario Maker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer ships an update every 3 months, CFI DPE Scenario Maker every 18 months. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer versus CFI DPE Scenario Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIFR Holding Pattern TrainerCFI DPE Scenario Maker
Price$5.99 — better$19.99
Rating2.0 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 18 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.618.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size151 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlygo-Aviation LtdJetWright LLC

Customer experience

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

CFI DPE Scenario Maker

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

IFR Holding Pattern Trainer

No in-app purchases

None

CFI DPE Scenario Maker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is IFR Holding Pattern Trainer free?
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is CFI DPE Scenario Maker free?
CFI DPE Scenario Maker costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or CFI DPE Scenario Maker?
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer is rated higher. IFR Holding Pattern Trainer averages 2.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while CFI DPE Scenario Maker averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or CFI DPE Scenario Maker have ads?
Neither IFR Holding Pattern Trainer nor CFI DPE Scenario Maker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or CFI DPE Scenario Maker?
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer ships an update every 3 months, and CFI DPE Scenario Maker every 18 months. Most recently, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer was updated on October 9, 2026 and CFI DPE Scenario Maker on October 9, 2026.

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