IFR Flight Trainer Simulator vs ASTB Prep
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.
ASTB Prep
Prepare for naval aviation exams with comprehensive study materials, practice tests, and simulators. Covers all subtests for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviation selection. Features adaptive testing and offline access.
- 73 comprehensive lessons
- 140+ flashcard decks
- 600+ sample test questions
- Unlimited adaptive practice tests
- UAV tracking simulator
- Terrain identification simulator
- Stick and throttle simulators
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ASTB PREP is a comprehensive study tool for the ASTB-E and OAR military aviation exams, created by a former Naval Officer. Full Access is available as a one-time in-app purchase. Whether you are preparing for Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard aviation selection, ASTB PREP gives you the tools to study efficiently and build confidence before test day. FREE FEATURES • Create a free account • Access introductory lessons covering exam overview, structure, and study strategies • Track your study progress • Sync your progress and access with your ASTB PREP account FULL ACCESS • 81 comprehensive lessons with review sections across all 7 ASTB subtests • 140+ flashcard decks for rapid knowledge reinforcement • 1,200+ sample test questions with detailed explanations • Unlimited adaptive practice tests that target your weak areas • Dichotic Listening Test (DLT) simulator • UAV tracking simulator • Terrain Identification simulator • Rear Cockpit simulator • Hardware-enhanced PBM training for a more realistic practice experience • On iPhone and iPad, train with intuitive on-screen controls or compatible Bluetooth game controllers, including supported Xbox and PlayStation controllers • Performance coaching tools • All content is available offline after download, making ASTB PREP ideal for deployment, travel, and other low-connectivity environments STUDY WITH YOUR ACCOUNT Full Access is tied to your ASTB PREP account. Sign in with the same account to keep your access and study progress synced and available wherever your account is supported. EXISTING CUSTOMERS If you previously purchased ASTB PREP, your access is preserved. Simply sign in or create an account to link your Full Access. ALL 7 ASTB SUBTESTS COVERED • Math Skills Test (MST) • Reading Comprehension Test (RCT) • Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT) • Aviation and Nautical Information Test (ANIT) • Naval Aviation Trait Facet Inventory (NATFI) • Performance Based Measures (PBM): DLT, UAV, TI, RC • Biographical Inventory with Response Validation (BI-RV) Also covers all 3 OAR subtests: MST, RCT, and MCT. Account required. Free to create. Privacy policy: https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/24362764
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ASTB Prep at 4.9 against IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's 3.9. ASTB Prep also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (94% vs 82%). On price, 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
Both are free to download. IFR Flight Trainer Simulator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and ASTB Prep sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ASTB Prep holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ASTB Prep has 434 ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of IFR Flight Trainer Simulator's written reviews are positive against 94% of ASTB Prep's.
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator ships an update every 3 months, ASTB Prep every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IFR Flight Trainer Simulator | ASTB Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (76 ratings) | 4.9 (434 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 81.5% of reviews | 93.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 76 | 434 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 155 MB | 811 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 9+ |
| Developer | Flygo-Aviation Ltd | Alex Hastings |
Customer experience
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
ASTB Prep
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
ASTB Prep
From 434 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great tool for ASTB prep
- 👍 Comprehensive study materials
- 🚀 Helpful simulators for PBM
- 🚀 Improved test scores
- 👍 Detailed lessons and practice tests
Room to improve
- 🐛 Some math/physics questions have incorrect answers
- 🐛 UAV simulator not fully accurate to real test
- 🐛 Stick and throttle simulator needs improvement
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
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
ASTB Prep
Reported bugs
2 issues- Mechanical comprehension test has 30 questions, not 20
- Terrain identification section has occasional screen color issues
Requested features
4 requests- Option to disable timer for terrain identification
- Ability to configure duration of correct answer display
- Add audio for UAV portion to simulate real test experience
- Include emergency scenario training for UAV
In-app purchases
IFR Flight Trainer Simulator
- IFR Simulator Half Price$11.99
- IFR Simulator Unlock$24.99
ASTB Prep
- Joystick FunctionalityFree
- Full Access$39.99
Questions
Is IFR Flight Trainer Simulator free?
Is ASTB Prep free?
Which has better reviews, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or ASTB Prep?
Do IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or ASTB Prep have ads?
Which is updated more often, IFR Flight Trainer Simulator or ASTB Prep?
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