Holds Made Easy

Best Private Pilot App! ★★★★★ dlarabee – Version 1.0, Jul 30, 2012

This is obviously an app made by active flight instructors, not just people who make videos. The in-flight video and animations made maneuvers like Steep Turns and S-Turns clear for the first time. I finally understood not just what to do but also how to do it best. Although not exactly cheap, by the time I finished the course, I easily saved more in flight instructortime than it cost. This is a really good product.

Well worth the money spent ★★★★★ by GspdRacer – Version 1.0, Sep 16, 2011

After getting the first App on Holds and Approaches, I was excited to find this follow-up App on Set-up and En-route use, and I was not disappointed. These guys are serious instructors who provide really great content with no wasted filler. They actually fly what they teach in the App, which makes their approach so practical and easy to understand. I learned a bunch of important techniques on stuff that I didn’t even know was possible on the Garmin 430 that I use. This App is well worth the money spent.

Good Value for High Quality ★★★★★ DJardine – Version 1.0, Sep 25, 2011

If you are looking for content that explains how to master the essentials of using the GNS430/530 presented in a practical, easy to understand format delivered by pilots/instructors for pilots then this app is for you. The format is very professional, doesn’t waste time on unimportant topics and the screens laser focus on the GPS (and the specific “clicks” you need to enter) during an actual flight – completely realistic and delivered in a context that makes sense while enroute.

Best 430/530 App In The App Store ★★★★★ by AndrewFlight – Version 1.1, Nov 24, 2011

These guys make themselves stand out from the rest by actually filming what they’re teaching in flight instead of just using only animations and slides. I now know how to use my GPS in situations that actually occur in flight. The presentation is concise so there’s no wasted time on extraneous dialogue, jokes, etc. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn the GNS 430/530 or improve their skills.

Purposeful Training ★★★★★ SARGuy76 – Version 1.1, Dec 7, 2011

These guys are great. It’s nice to see the device in action and how it would function in the air. I found myself remembering and using the knowledge I gained from this app within the first flight using the 430. Keep up the good work, I can’t wait to see more apps.

Well organized, good job! ★★★★★ Dr. CMJ – Version 1., Apr 14, 2012

Felt it was very well-organized and able to pick up many tips. I think I enjoyed it so much I felt like it ended too soon. Hint hint, make the next ones a little longer. I am hungry to learn more about the 530 and the secrets behind it. Good job!

Excellent training application ★★★★★ Marc @ Gillespie – Version 1.1, Jun 11, 2012

Very helpful to understand the Garmin GNS 430/530. Lots of information. Very useful to understand the basic mechanisms of the Garmin for departures, en route and approaches.

430/530 enroute ★★★★★ sgillin – Version 1.1, Jun 13, 2012

Great app. Clear presentation of the preflight check as well as departure, enroute, and arrival using the 430/530. A very efficient and effective way to learn how to use the Garmin in real flight. Along with the other app on approach and holds, you will know everything you need to make use of the GPS.

This is the one course that you will need to pass your practical test… ★★★★★ DJardine – Version 1.0, Jul 23, 2012

This course concisely and efficiently covers EVERYTHING that you will need to successfully pass the flight portion of your private pilot practical test. Unlike other courses, videos, books, etc that will take more of your time and money than you wanted to spend and still not fully prepare you, this course delivers everything you need in less than 3 hours. The video is HD quality and you can actually see all the relevant instruments during all the flight manoevers. The course is also a handy resource for your next flight review. If you want to save time, money and be prepared to successfully complete the flight component of your practical test – this is the one and only course you will need.

AOPA Online News, Nov 2013, AOPA.ORG

Chart segments illustrate flight planning and lost procedures. Checklists pop up during a discussion of emergency procedures. A light gun signal chart appears as the DPE and the pilot walk through a scenario in which she has lost her radio. There’s no shortage of visual elements that bolster each video segment. Read the full article

Most Useful Private Pilot App on the Market ★★★★★ by – Version 1.0, Aug 2, 2012

This is a great app for student pilots looking to study the essentials and get each element of the PTS right without the fluff and time wasting elements of courses like the King effort. There is no CJ here to trade jokes with. This is a “Dragnet” education–just the facts ma’am. I’ve found the course best used to study one element at a time, rather than impatiently trying to take it all in at once. Each lesson is very concentrated but deceivingly simple. I would plan on playing and replaying a segment over and over. I know this app will continue to improve beyond where it is presently with input from users. Well worth the expense.

I’m a believer! ★★★★★ SARGuy76 – Version 1.0, Aug 3, 2012

As a student pilot, I use this video before every flight lesson. I was so prepared that I almost felt like my instructor didn’t even need to teach me. I just did what the video taught. I love the added bonus of the Airplane Flying Handbook and PTS which makes looking things up on my iPad easy. This is the most useful flight training video I have ever bought.

All the content you need ★★★★★ Charlie Dragon – Version 1.0, Aug 11, 2012

All the content you need, and only the content you need. It is so nice to go through this material with out all the extra fluff that authors and producers usually feel they need to add. Instead of sometimes thinking “Do I really need to know this?”, you will be thinking “If he is saying something, I need to know it”. If you were taught this way face to face, it would be information overload, but given that you can pause and replay at will, it is a fantastic approach. Also, the content is loaded once, so you don’t need an Internet connection to access it, and they kept it at 1.2gb. Well done!

Awesome! ★★★★★ Awakened08 – Version 1.1, Oct 3, 2012

As a student pilot that also works full time this app has proven invaluable to prepare myself (and brush up on afterwards) for the concepts that my instructor teaches in the air. Because it’s so concise and to the point the level of retention seems much higher than other training materials and the convenience of having it all in my pocket is unbeatable. It works great with AirPlay too, so if I want to relax on the couch for a longer study session the HD videos make this a great option. Looking forward to even more video content and perhaps the PHAK in future updates. Keep up the good work guys!

★★★★★ Lee Gerstein – Version 1.1, Nov 19, 2012

I bought this app as a review prior to my BFR and IPC. I hadn’t flown in a while and wanted a pre-review review. There are four SoCal approaches covered–an LPV, an ILS, an LNAV and a VOR. Each one is set up on the 530, some with alternative programming, and flown. The teaching is clear, direct, easy to understand and a great review. Production is high quality crisp video (HD), including highlights inserted on approach plates as they are pointing out a frequency, a waypoint or a leg. It really couldn’t be clearer. I wasn’t sure about spending so much for an unknown product, but I’m now a satisfied customer and highly recommend their products. I’m looking forward to their next IFR product.

★★★★★ Kim Irene , Feb 17, 2014

I would like to take a moment and thank you for compiling a comprehensive guide as to what a student pilot seeking a Private Pilot Certificate can expect on the flight and oral portions of the Private Pilot Practical Test. Flight Training Apps is a helpful preparation tool and I have referred it extensively while preparing for my Checkride. Dave Simpson did a fabulous job explaining and demonstrating each required flight maneuver. The camera(s) angles, audio, and video editing are professional and of very high quality. I waited a long time for the oral portion of the Private Pilot Practical Test and I am so glad it did! I felt as though David Leonard, the FAA Designated Examiner, was speaking directly to me. Flight Training Apps has provided me a front row seat as what to expect on my Checkride. Thank you for your hard work and dedication! My CFI thanks you, too!

AOPA Flight Training Magazine, Dec 2012

Video content is where this app hits high points. Shot in HD, each maneuver—from taxi to emergency operations—is neatly broken down into its components. Graphic elements are combined with video sequences, bringing even more clarity to each demonstration. Read the full article.