Flight Deck FMS vs Briefing Panel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flight Deck FMS
This app transforms your iPad or iPhone into a realistic, touch-ready Flight Management System for X-Plane. It offers seamless real-time connection and detailed avionics mirroring, enhancing flight simulation accuracy and immersion.
- Real-time X-Plane connection
- Full FMC, MCDU, and INS functionality
- Realistic tactile key response
- Automatic aircraft detection
- Modern and legacy layout options
- Optimized for cockpit visuals
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Step into the heart of your aircraft. Flight Deck FMS brings a full-featured Flight Management System (FMC, MCDU and INS) to your iPad and iPhone, connected in real time to X-Plane. Designed for realism and precision, it mirrors the avionics logic and tactile workflow of real-world flight decks. Built on the same technology as Flight Deck ONE, it turns your iPad or iPhone into a live, touch-ready FMS — with zero setup. Features • Seamless UDP auto-connection to X-Plane • Single, dual and triple CDU mode (Pilot, Copilot, Engineer) • Supports INS systems including Delco Carousel CIVA and Litton LTN-92 • Modern and legacy layouts faithfully matching each aircraft’s avionics generation • Realistic tactile response with EXEC, CLR, MENU, and line-select keys • Automatic aircraft detection and layout selection • Optimized for cockpit use — crisp, high-contrast visuals • Works across the Flight Deck ecosystem Integration • Compatible with X-Plane 11 & 12 Aircraft and Plugins supported • Laminar Boeing 737-800 • Laminar Airbus A330-300 • Laminar Citation X • Laminar MD-82 • Zibo/Level Up Boing 737 • ToLiss Airbus A3xx • Flight Factor Boing 777-200ER • Hot Start Challenger 650 • Rotate MD-11 • Rotate MD-80 • Sparky Boeing 747-400 • Felis Boeing 747-200 (CIVA INS, LTN-92 INS, FMC) • FlyJSim Dash-8 • Torquesim Citation 525 • AirfoilLabs KingAir 350 (FMS) • xCIVA INS • and more to come very soon Pricing • Free to download with limited functionality • Unlock Flight Deck FMS Plus for complete functionality on the Laminar Default FMC • Unlock Flight Deck FMS PRO for complete functionality on all the current and future Modules Terms of use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Briefing Panel
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Briefing Panel puts your SimBrief operational flight plan on a second screen. Enter your SimBrief username once and fetch the latest plan - fuel, weights, weather, route and map, laid out like an instrument, not a spreadsheet. FEATURES - Fuel and weights: the numbers you check before pushback. - Weather: METAR and TAF for departure, destination and alternates, straight from the plan. - Route map: your route and every fix on a map, with the live aircraft position. - Raw OFP: the full flight plan text when you need it. Pair your phone with your account using a 6-digit PIN from the website - no password typing needed. Briefing Panel is an independent project. It is not affiliated with Navigraph (SimBrief) or Microsoft. For flight simulation use only - not for real-world navigation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Briefing Panel at none against Flight Deck FMS's 2. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Flight Deck FMS sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Briefing Panel asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Flight Deck FMS | Briefing Panel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 142 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Visuality srl | Artur Kumszczynski |
In-app purchases
Flight Deck FMS
- Flight Deck FMS Standard$8.99
- Flight FMS Plus$17.99
Briefing Panel
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Flight Deck FMS free?
Is Briefing Panel free?
Do Flight Deck FMS or Briefing Panel have ads?
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