Comparison

Private Pilot Course vs ATC Training

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

Head to head
About

Private Pilot Course

Prepare for the ground portion of your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test with realistic checkride scenarios and expert insights. Includes essential FAA handbooks, a knowledge quiz, and flight calculators.

Highlights
  • Realistic checkride oral enactment
  • Examiner and instructor insights
  • FAA Airplane Flying Handbook
  • Private Pilot PTS
  • Knowledge quiz
  • Flight calculators
Features
Read full description

The Private Pilot Course - Ground Portion gives you an insight into what happens on the ground portion of your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test, commonly referred to as the Checkride Oral. We provide more than one hour of video, showing you a realistic enactment of a checkride oral conducted by an FAA designated pilot examiner and a student pilot. This app also includes insights from an examiner and instructor to give you a full understanding of what to expect on your private pilot practical test. Bonus features of this app are a copy of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, the Private Pilot PTS, the FAA Risk Management Handbook and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). Also included is a quiz to test your knowledge and calculators for Stall Speed, Load Factor, Maneuvering Speed and Top of Climb calculations. Please check out our companion app, the Private Pilot Course - Flight Portion, that gives you more than two and a half hours of exciting in-flight HD video and detailed animation including an in depth explanation of the takeoffs, landings and maneuvers needed to pass your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test. Both apps together make a perfect package that will make you pass your Checkride with ease. Due to HD video, this App is more than 750MB in size. Please make sure you have enough space on your device. Due to size restrictions, you have to be connected to a WiFi network to download this app.

About

ATC Training

Master essential radio communications for pilots with interactive lessons and realistic scenarios. Practice VFR and IFR procedures, learn correct phraseology, and track your progress. Ideal for all pilot levels seeking to enhance their air traffic control interactions.

Highlights
  • VFR communication training
  • IFR clearance practice (CRAFT)
  • Realistic ATC phraseology
  • Interactive radio scenarios
  • Progress tracking
  • Emergency procedure training
Features
Read full description

Master ATC radio communications through interactive lessons and real-world scenarios, from first call to tower to full IFR clearances. Whether you're a student pilot building confidence on the radio or an experienced pilot sharpening your phraseology, ATC Training gives you a structured environment to practice at your own pace. What you'll practice: - VFR ground, tower, approach, and departure communications - IFR clearances using the CRAFT framework - Multi-facility cross-country scenarios - Emergency and urgency procedures - Realistic ATC phraseology used in actual operations How it works: - Listen to ATC instructions, then build your response - Tactile mode: tap reference elements in the correct order - Voice mode: speak your responses aloud (beta) - Three difficulty levels, from guided to audio-only challenge - Progress tracking across all modules Built for student pilots, CFIs, and rated pilots who want to stay sharp.

Screenshots

Private Pilot Course4 screens
ATC Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ATC Training at $2.99 against Private Pilot Course's $29.99. ATC Training also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 38 months). Private Pilot Course's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Private Pilot Course costs $29.99 and ATC Training $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ATC Training holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 26 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Private Pilot Course's written reviews are positive against 83% of ATC Training's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Pilot Course ships an update every 38 months, ATC Training fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Private Pilot Course versus ATC Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Pilot CourseATC Training
Price$29.99$2.99 — better
Rating3.5 (6 ratings)4.3 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings626 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size749 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlight Training Apps, Inc.Justin Jones

Customer experience

Private Pilot Course

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

ATC Training

All ratings26 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

In-app purchases

None

Private Pilot Course

No in-app purchases

None

ATC Training

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private Pilot Course free?
Private Pilot Course costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ATC Training free?
ATC Training costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Course or ATC Training?
ATC Training is rated higher. Private Pilot Course averages 3.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while ATC Training averages 4.3 from 26 ratings.
Do Private Pilot Course or ATC Training have ads?
Neither Private Pilot Course nor ATC Training shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Course or ATC Training?
Private Pilot Course ships an update every 38 months, and ATC Training fortnightly. Most recently, Private Pilot Course was updated on September 17, 2026 and ATC Training on September 12, 2026.

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