IFR Flight Trainer Simulator vs Cockpit App Systems
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
Cockpit App Systems
This app provides a comprehensive study tool for pilots, focusing on aircraft cockpit systems and procedures. It offers interactive learning for lights and switches, along with customizable flow procedures that can be shared and accessed via the cloud. Users can test their knowledge and access detailed information on hundreds of buttons and switches.
- Interactive lights and switches study
- Editable and shareable flow procedures
- Cloud synchronization for flows
- Information on 300+ buttons and switches
- User-created flow sharing
- Switch-related questions for some aircraft
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A320 B737NG E170 CRJ200 available for purchase within one app! Try before you buy! Designed for both the iPad, and iPhone, by professional pilots, instructors and check airman. The app is a "lights and switches" study tool supplemented with editable flows. Flows: - Study, review, test, and record flows. - Upload your flows to our cloud. Share them across your devices. - Find flows by other users. Note: Flows are user created only! Newly released airplane types might only have placeholder flows. Light & Switches: - Information about 300+ buttons and switches only a tap away. Other Features: - Some airplane types have questions about switches. Note: Newly released types might not.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Cockpit App Systems at 4.8 against IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's 3.9. Cockpit App Systems also leads on ratings volume (495 vs 76) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 63%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Cockpit App Systems sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Cockpit App Systems holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cockpit App Systems has 495 ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's written reviews are positive against 63% of Cockpit App Systems's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IFR Flight Trainer Simulator | Cockpit App Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (76 ratings) | 4.8 (495 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 81.5% of reviews — better | 63.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 76 | 495 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 155 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 9+ |
| Developer | Flygo-Aviation Ltd | K2K Soft, LLC |
Customer experience
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
Cockpit App Systems
User reviews
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
Cockpit App Systems
From 495 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Comprehensive A320 systems and cockpit learning tool
- 📚 Extensive flashcard database with airline-specific study guides
- ✈️ Customizable flows for different airline SOPs
- 🎓 Helpful for type rating and recurrent training preparation
- 📖 Detailed switch and system information
Room to improve
- 💰 High pricing ($39-$45) for full access
- 🔐 Misleading free-to-download model with paywall
- ❌ Limited free version (only electrical panel accessible)
- 🖼️ Static image-based interface without interactive button functionality
- 🎨 Basic and unintuitive UI design
Bugs and requests
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
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- 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
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- Bearing and course to station relative to VOR1/VOR2
- Higher difficulty levels for advanced pilots
- Extended free trial period for proper app evaluation
Cockpit App Systems
Reported bugs
7 issues- App crashes after updates and won't open
- Settings and study menus display blank items
- Full version purchase doesn't unlock features
- Trial activation requires in-app purchase despite free claim
- App stops working after approximately one month of purchase
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- Inconsistent functionality across iOS versions
- Paid content not accessible after payment
Requested features
14 requests- French language version or automatic translation feature
- B737 aircraft variant support
- Updated fuel panel for A321
- Additional overhead panel items (data link, maintenance panel)
- Multiple selectable systems in System Display
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- Resizable rectangles for flow testing instead of fixed circles
- Disable automatic zoom on switch interactions
- Edit function for button/item location selection
- Character counter for flow creation
- More detailed switch information and descriptions
- Correct IR modes (FAULT, ALIGN instead of OFF, FAULT)
- Airline-specific flow accuracy (DAL flows mentioned)
- ECAM pages readable alongside other content
- Better text formatting and indentation for note clarity
In-app purchases
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
- IFR Simulator Half Price$11.99
- IFR Simulator Unlock$24.99
Cockpit App Systems
- Full Access (Free)Free
- TrialFree
- Promotional Free AccessFree
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- Access to Descriptions$19.99
- A320 One Time Promotion$19.99
- Access to Flashcards$24.99
- Access to Flows$24.99
- CRJ200 Full Access$49.99
- CRJ200 Promo$49.99
- B737NG Full Access$49.99
- B737NG Promo$49.99
- Full Access$49.99
- E170 Full Access$49.99
- E170 Promo$49.99
- App-wide FUll Access$200.00
Questions
Is IFR Flight Trainer Simulator free?
Is Cockpit App Systems free?
Which has better reviews, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Cockpit App Systems?
Do IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Cockpit App Systems have ads?
Which is updated more often, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or Cockpit App Systems?
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