On Instruments vs Approach Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
On Instruments
Hone your instrument flying skills with this simulator. Navigate various courses by precisely managing heading, altitude, and airspeed. Features multiple difficulty levels, including courses with instrument failures.
- Instrument scanning practice
- Multiple course difficulties
- Heading, altitude, airspeed control
- Attitude Indicator failure simulation
- Score maximization
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Practice and hone your IFR instrument scanning skills while playing a variety of courses “On Instruments”. Each course includes a series of heading, altitude, and airspeed changes that must be flown with precision to maximize your score. Courses are divided into Easy, Intermediate and Expert Levels. Additional courses without course guidance are available, as well as a series with an Attitude Indicator failure.
Approach Control
Experience a realistic air traffic control simulation with genuine ATC procedures and pilot voice recordings. Make critical decisions under pressure, manage traffic across 10 unique sectors, and test your skills with challenging scenarios. Includes training modules and career tracking.
- Realistic radar simulation
- Genuine ATC procedures
- Actual pilot voice recordings
- 10 unique approach sectors
- 10 ATC challenges
- In-built training modules
- Career statistics and trophy case
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Work real approach radar. Make real decisions. Feel the pressure. Approach Control: Remastered is a highly realistic air traffic control simulation designed by real-world air traffic controllers. It delivers an authentic radar-control experience using genuine ATC procedures and actual pilot voice recordings. It's a game, but it feels very real. The radar behaves exactly like real approach control radar, including a true 3-second sweep used by professional controllers, plus actual ICAO separation and wake turbulence standards. Every element is designed to replicate how controllers scan, think, and manage traffic in real time, all within a clean, intuitive interface built for mobile. Control traffic in 10 unique approach sectors, each with its own localizer configuration and arrival entry points. Put your skills to the test with 10 ATC challenges that demand precision, planning, and calm decision-making under pressure. Train Like a Controller. New to air traffic control? Built-in Ground School and guided on-the-job training teach you the fundamentals step-by-step, preparing you for increasingly complex traffic scenarios. Track Your Career. Career statistics and a trophy case track your progress, performance, and long-term achievements as an approach controller. If you love flight simulation, try an air traffic control simulation. Approach Control: Remastered delivers one of the most authentic ATC experiences available on mobile.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Approach Control at Free against On Instruments's $2.99. Approach Control also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). On Instruments's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (75% vs 36%). On ratings volume, ads 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
Approach Control is free to download; On Instruments costs $2.99 up front. Approach Control sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. On Instruments asks for nothing beyond the download.
On Instruments holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of On Instruments's written reviews are positive against 36% of Approach Control's.
On Instruments ships an update every 8 months, Approach Control every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | On Instruments | Approach Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better | 2.9 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 36.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 174 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aircraft Training Aids, LLC | Big Fat Simulations Inc. |
Customer experience
On Instruments
Approach Control
In-app purchases
On Instruments
No in-app purchases
Approach Control
- Advanced$1.99
- Ninja$1.99
- Approach Control: Remastered$1.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Cornered$1.99
- Insanity$1.99
- Windy$1.99
- Pandemonium$1.99
- Gridlock$1.99
- Full Unlock$14.99
Questions
Is On Instruments free?
Is Approach Control free?
Which has better reviews, On Instruments or Approach Control?
Do On Instruments or Approach Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, On Instruments or Approach Control?
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