VOR Tracker vs IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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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tl;dr: Simply the best training app for VOR/NDB navigation. Are you not comfortable with flying holding patterns and radial interceptions, especially in stressful situations like a check ride or a sim assessment? You do understand what you have learnt, but find it difficult to apply once the needles start moving? Then look no further, VOR Tracker is what you need. VOR Tracker is a small but powerful training tool for pilots. It is the only one of its kind for the iPhone & iPad, providing the real aircraft feel the other apps are missing! VOR Tracker is a real IFR simulation, so you will find no multiple choice questions or yet more methods which might or might not work for you. You can actually practice IFR procedures in real time, using either a fixed card CDI, RMI, HSI, or EHSI, which provides additional information like wind, track, and groundspeed. Practice holding patterns, DME arcs, radial interceptions, and 2 needle tracking in real time. It is practice what it is all about! There is no need for explaining again and again what you already know from flight school. It is about applying your knowledge when the flight instruments start moving! Wherever you are, IFR training is only two taps away! Chose between a VOR and NDB and get used to the different characteristics. The NDB comes with atmospheric disturbances and an adjustable dip error to match the instrument you are used to. Don’t waste your time trying to imagine what you would do in the aircraft – just do it! VOR Tracker is designed for: - Student pilots who have the theoretical knowledge for flying IFR procedures, and want to save money by preparing for their pilot training. - Pilots who want to refresh their IFR navigation skills for an upcoming check ride. - Pilots going for an assessment. Holding patterns and radial interceptions are commonly used during sim assessments and can really spoil the day. Being prepared will make the difference! - People who have the knowledge of flying IFR procedures and want to give it a try. VOR Tracker is NOT: - a game. - a flight simulator, it focuses on navigation at a constant speed and altitude. - a flight training course teaching you how to fly IFR procedures. Still interested? Read on to find out how VOR Tracker will boost your skills in no time! - Choose between a fixed card CDI, RMI, HSI, or EHSI. - Use the instruments like you would do in the real aircraft. - Use the map mode to verify your progress. - Lost? Use the help function to display the holding pattern entries in the map mode. - Things are going a bit too fast? Use the freeze mode to orientate. - Getting bored in straight flight? Use the fast mode. - You want to start over or change the aircraft’s position or heading? Just drag & drop, or twist the aircraft symbol. - Practice a particular holding pattern or radial interception exercise over and over again from new, random starting positions using the reposition button. - Start with no wind and increase the difficulty later on by adding wind. - To add more realism, the wind can be selected to be gusty and/or variable in direction. - Getting settled? Why not increase the aircraft’s speed in the settings menu? - Customize your own missions and adjust the wind the way you want. - Use the hidden wind function to add a realistic challenge. - Analyze your progress in the map mode. Rewind and start over. The previous track lines will still be displayed for you to see the difference. Prepare yourself without wasting expensive flight time – use VOR Tracker to brush up your IFR skills! VOR Tracker is the most efficient trainer for holding patterns and radial interceptions available on the App Store. Supporting you during your IFR training, it will pay for itself in no time. Take that as a promise!
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
Practice instrument flight rules (IFR) navigation with this simulator. Learn and improve IFR procedures, including VOR, NDB, and holding patterns. Offers cockpit and map modes with adjustable wind and built-in tasks for comprehensive pilot training.
- Cockpit and map modes
- VOR, NDB, DME, HSI, EHSI, RMI instruments
- Approach procedure practice
- Adjustable wind settings
- Holding pattern simulation
- Custom scenario creation
- Built-in training tasks
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Flying by instrument flight rules (IFR) is not an easy task, especially for student pilots. With the IFR Flight Trainer Simulator, students can easily develop and experienced pilots can quickly improve their understanding of IFR navigation. This is the perfect app for learning and practicing IFR procedures, and it is much cheaper than a single flight hour. Try it out if you want to acquire an instrument rating or just want to brush up your IFR skills. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator was designed with simplicity and intuitive operability in mind. The instruments available are: VOR, RMI, HSI, EHSI, DME, Directional Gyro and airspeed indicator. Thanks to a NAV 1 and a NAV 2 modes, you will also be able to train for two NDB/VOR approaches. Main features: • COCKPIT/MAP - Use the cockpit mode to practice and use the map mode to set up a scenario and check you progress. Both the aircraft and ground stations can be easily relocated to a new position by dragging and dropping them. • VOR, DME, HSI, EHSI, RMI - This aviation app is carefully designed to reflect the characteristics of different instruments. Choose between VOR or NDB navigation, select your instruments (HSI/EHSI or RMI) and a speed range up to 400 kts. • APPROACH PROCEDURES - IFR Flight Trainer Simulator will help learn how to track a radial, how to intercept a radial outbound, inbound, how to fly a DME arc, and so on. It is the simplest way to learn the navigation procedures inside out! • WIND - Have you become familiar with all the procedures? Add some wind to spice things up. The wind settings are displayed on separate screen, where you can set its direction and speed to increase the challenge. • HOLDING - Set and practice standard or non-standard holding patterns. Test you skills with VOR or NDB fix holdings. You already know where your next flight will happen? Build a scenario for it in the app to practice what awaits you in real life. This way you can practice your flight in a safe environment before facing the real challenge in the cockpit. If you want to learn the essentials, take a look at the built-in tasks as well. All features: • Use the classic or glass cockpit mode to simulate what you see in a real aircraft • Use the map mode to learn and understand the procedures from a third-person point of view • Choose between VOR and NDB navigation • Use the following, carefully designed instruments: RMI, HSI, EHSI, Directional gyro, DME, Airspeed indicator • Fly your own routes by creating challenging scenarios, using holding patterns and adjusting the wind • Test your knowledge through various built-in tasks • Drag & drop the aircraft or ground station symbols to move them around quickly • Turn the aircraft with 1.5°/s, 3°/s (standard), 6°/s and 9°/s modes, or just simply rotate the compass dial • View your flight path by enabling the aircraft track trail • Simulate winds up to 50 kts • Practice IFR flying procedures by generating random scenarios Download the app to see for yourself whether we can help you learn the essentials of IFR navigation. Try it for free and prepare at home without wasting expensive flight or simulator time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: IFR Flight Trainer Simulator at Free against VOR Tracker's $19.99. VOR Tracker's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence 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
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator is free to download; VOR Tracker costs $19.99 up front. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. VOR Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.
VOR Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 137 and 76 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of VOR Tracker's written reviews are positive against 82% of IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VOR Tracker | IFR Flight Trainer Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (137 ratings) — better | 3.9 (76 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 81.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 137 — better | 76 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 155 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Karsten Heiland | Flygo-Aviation Ltd |
Customer experience
VOR Tracker
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
User reviews
VOR Tracker
From 137 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Excellent for IFR training
- 👍 Helps understand VOR navigation
- 👍 Great for holding practice
- 👍 Useful for intercept practice
- 👍 Good for sim assessment prep
Room to improve
- 🐛 Knob rotation is difficult
- 🐛 Random intercepts unrealistic
- 🐛 To/From indicator unreliable
- 🐛 Airplane turns too slowly
- 🐛 Holding pattern depiction inaccurate
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
From 76 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 User-friendly interface and intuitive controls
- 🎓 Excellent learning tool for IFR training and instrument procedures
- 🎮 Comprehensive customization options (wind, runway, conditions)
- 📊 Dual view modes (cockpit and map/plan view)
- 🎯 Realistic flight modeling and aerodynamics
Room to improve
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with limited free trial
- ⏱️ Unreasonably short trial period (3-5 minutes)
- 🔒 Paywall blocks most features in free version
- 🎯 Unrealistic immediate heading changes (no standard rate turns)
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and stability issues
Bugs and 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
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- 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
Show 20 moreShow fewer
- 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
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes after short usage periods
- Heading indicator gets stuck causing continuous turning
- HSI radials appear to be offset or incorrect
- DME distance calculations may be inaccurate (slant range issue)
- Task completion triggers before reaching waypoints
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- OBS cannot be changed without paid upgrade
Requested features
8 requests- Standard rate turn simulation for realistic intercepts and holdings
- LOC (Localizer) mode for HSI reverse sensing practice
- Fixed-card ADF instrument option
- Adjustable turn rate settings to match different aircraft
- Error feedback display showing incorrect flight paths
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Bearing and course to station relative to VOR1/VOR2
- Higher difficulty levels for advanced pilots
- Extended free trial period for proper app evaluation
In-app purchases
VOR Tracker
No in-app purchases
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
- IFR Simulator Half Price$11.99
- IFR Simulator Unlock$24.99
Questions
Is VOR Tracker free?
Is IFR Flight Trainer Simulator free?
Which has better reviews, VOR Tracker or IFR Flight Trainer Simulator?
Do VOR Tracker or IFR Flight Trainer Simulator have ads?
Which is updated more often, VOR Tracker or IFR Flight Trainer Simulator?
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