IFR Holding Pattern Trainer vs VOR Tracker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
VOR Tracker
This app provides a realistic IFR navigation training experience for pilots. Practice holding patterns, radial interceptions, and other critical procedures in real-time using various flight instruments. It's designed to help pilots apply theoretical knowledge in a simulated cockpit environment.
- Real-time IFR simulation
- VOR and NDB navigation practice
- Multiple instrument displays (CDI, RMI, HSI, EHSI)
- Practice holding patterns and radial interceptions
- Map mode for progress verification
- Freeze and fast modes for training control
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The needles are moving. The examiner is watching. Your mind goes blank. The cockpit is the most expensive place to discover the gap between knowing the theory and flying the procedure. VOR Tracker is a real-time IFR procedure trainer for holding patterns, radial interceptions and DME arcs — you fly them on the instruments you already use, wherever you are, whenever you want. One-time purchase — for less than half an hour of dual instruction, and it never renews. No subscription, no ads. FLY THE INSTRUMENTS YOU ACTUALLY USE - Fixed-card CDI, RMI, HSI or EHSI — the EHSI adds wind, track and groundspeed - VOR or NDB, with realistic dip error and atmospheric noise on the NDB - Aircraft speeds from light trainer to jet TRAIN THE WAY YOU FLY - Freeze the action when things get too fast - Skip ahead through the straight bits - Drag the aircraft to reposition, or repeat any exercise from a new random start - Stuck on holding entries? Let the map show you the sectors - Build your own missions, with your own wind RAISE THE STAKES WHEN YOU'RE READY - Start calm, then add wind: steady, gusting, variable — or hidden, so you work it out yourself SEE YOUR PROGRESS - Rewind and fly it again; the previous tracks stay on the map so you can compare MADE FOR - Student pilots who would rather make their mistakes on the ground - Pilots preparing for a check ride, an IPC or a simulator assessment - Instructors who want to show an entry, a lead angle or a wind correction in real time WHAT IT IS NOT - Not a game - Not a flight simulator: it trains navigation procedures at a constant speed and altitude - Not a ground-school course: it assumes you know the theory and need the practice "I was really struggling to visualise NDB joins and an hour on this and I have it cracked." — App Store review "I highly recommend it to all of my students and to anyone learning IFR procedures." — Google Play review Recommended for simulator-assessment preparation by training organisations including Horizon Swiss Flight Academy, SKY4u Aviation Service and Airline Entry Training. VOR Tracker has trained IFR procedures since 2014, on iPhone, iPad and Android. Questions or feedback: info@vor-tracker.com Try the free browser demo: https://vor-tracker.com/app-demo/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: VOR Tracker at 86% against IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's 40%. VOR Tracker also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (139 vs 2). IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's advantage is price ($5.99 vs $19.99). On update cadence, 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
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer costs $5.99 and VOR Tracker $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
VOR Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VOR Tracker has 139 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of IFR Holding Pattern Trainer's written reviews are positive against 86% of VOR Tracker's.
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer ships an update every 3 months, VOR Tracker every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IFR Holding Pattern Trainer | VOR Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 2.0 (2 ratings) | 4.7 (139 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 139 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 151 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Flygo-Aviation Ltd | Karsten Heiland |
Customer experience
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer
VOR Tracker
Bugs and requests
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
VOR Tracker
Reported bugs
8 issues- Knob rotation difficult
- To From indicator sometimes does not work
- App freezes on download
- App freezes on opening
- Not able to download 2nd time
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- Holding pattern depiction inaccurate
- App freezes every time I open it
- App doesn't work, totally unusable
Requested features
25 requests- Scroll wheel for knobs
- Add CDI option
- Add RMI pointer
- Add ILS approaches
- Add non-precision approaches
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- Add point-to-point navigation
- Add user-defined patterns
- Add fix-to-fix scenarios
- Add more hold entry options
- Add wind correction details
- Add written ATC instructions
- Add common VOR nav receiver
- Add option for basic 6-pack instruments
- Add custom/randomized ATC hold instructions
- Add speed control slider
- Auto-restart on timer reset
- Random wind option
- More scenarios
- More videos from developer
- Point to point addition
- Low enroute charts practice
- Practice missed approaches
- Second VOR/ADF bearing needle for HSI
- Option to know when task completed successfully
- Hold patterns away from VOR on radial/DME
In-app purchases
IFR Holding Pattern Trainer
No in-app purchases
VOR Tracker
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is IFR Holding Pattern Trainer free?
Is VOR Tracker free?
Which has better reviews, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or VOR Tracker?
Do IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or VOR Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, IFR Holding Pattern Trainer or VOR Tracker?
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