Question 1

What exactly is ReadBack?

Accepted Answer

A radio communication trainer. You learn standard phraseology in short lessons, then fly a full scenario where an AI air traffic controller gives you instructions and reacts to the readback you speak out loud.

Question 2

What does the free plan include?

Accepted Answer

Two radio sessions a day, easy difficulty, San Diego and Santa Monica, an overall score for each session, and the lesson path. No card is needed.

Question 3

What do paid plans add?

Accepted Answer

Solo ($9.99/month, or $7.99/month billed annually) adds 10 sessions a day, medium difficulty, every airport, and the full AI evaluation with score trends. Checkride ($17.99/month, or $14.99/month billed annually) adds unlimited sessions, hard difficulty, emergency scenarios, analytics by flight phase and error type, and priority support.

Question 4

Which devices are supported?

Accepted Answer

iPhone and iPad from the App Store, Android phones and tablets from Google Play.

Question 5

Do I need a headset or a microphone?

Accepted Answer

The microphone in your phone or laptop is enough. A headset makes the radio audio feel closer to the cockpit, but it changes nothing about the scoring.

Question 6

Which airports and scenarios are in the app?

Accepted Answer

Seven airports — San Diego, Santa Monica, John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Van Nuys and Palo Alto — and nine flight scenarios that run through taxi, departure, cruise, arrival and landing, including go-arounds.

Question 7

How is my readback scored?

Accepted Answer

Your speech is transcribed, then compared with the items the controller expects for that instruction: runway, taxiway, hold short, altitude, heading, frequency and your callsign. You see which of them you missed.

Question 8

Does the AI sound like a real controller?

Accepted Answer

The voice is synthesized and passed through a radio filter, and the phrasing follows standard phraseology. It is close enough to train your ear, and it will not replace listening to live ATC.

Question 9

Can ReadBack replace training with an instructor?

Accepted Answer

No. It is practice between lessons. Nothing in the app counts toward a certificate or rating, and your instructor remains the authority on how you fly.

Question 10

What happens to my voice recordings?

Accepted Answer

Audio is sent to our servers, transcribed, scored and handled as described in the privacy policy. It is not sold, and it is not used to identify you.

Question 11

How do I cancel a subscription?

Accepted Answer

Through Google Play — subscriptions are billed by the store, so cancelling there stops the renewal. Access stays until the end of the period you already paid for.

Frequently asked questions