Free AI Tools for Pilots (2026): What You Actually Get Without Paying
Every free AI tool for pilots we list, by job: written test, checkride oral, ATC radio, FAR/AIM, NOTAMs, go/no-go and CFI tools, with each free limit.
Compiled October 22, 2026. Most AI tools for pilots have a free tier, but "free" means very different things: a full course with no card, 2 sessions a day, or a single sample. This guide lists the free tiers you can keep using, not time-limited trials, sorted by what you're working on. Every limit and price comes from the vendor's own site or US App Store listing, re-checked between October 18 and 22, 2026 (see each tool page for its date).
Free tiers change often. Get the changes by email.
Written (knowledge) test
The written test is where free tools go furthest. A full free course plus one question bank's free tier can carry you a long way before you pay.
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPL Free Ground School | Full Private Pilot written course, no card: 22 modules, 899 questions, unlimited mock exams; 3 free AI instructor questions | Optional one-time add-ons: $99 unlimited AI instructor | Web |
| The Written | 2 topics and 1 mock exam a month, no card | Pro (price shown after sign-up) | Web (PWA) |
| Rotate | 3 subjects, 10 quiz questions a day, 1 practice exam a week | First Officer $14.99/mo; AI tutor on Captain, $29.99/mo | Web |
| Aviation Test Prep | 60 questions with AI explanations, no card | $19.99/mo | Web, iOS, Android |
| GroundScholar | 5 drill questions a day, 1 oral-exam session a month, reference library | Written Pass $49 one time | Web |
| PilotTrack | Module 1 of every rating, 3 AI CFI messages a day; free for CFIs | $299/yr, all ratings | Web |
| Flight Path Pioneers | Study tools with no signup, a few free "Ask CFII" AI questions a day | AI mock orals $14.99/mo | Web |
More detail: Best AI apps for the FAA written test.
Checkride oral practice
Free oral practice is a sample, not a full mock. Use the free session to see which examiner style you like, then pay for one tool in the weeks before your checkride.
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| MockDPE | 1 limited mock checkride, no card | Premium $49/mo | Web |
| Checkride.bot | One free task on every exam, no account | 30-day passes, Private $49.99 | iOS, iPadOS |
| GroundScholar | 1 voice oral-exam session a month | Written Pass $49 one time | Web |
| Vectors to Hired | First 10 cards of every bank, 1 Voice Coach session and 5 mock-interview minutes a month | Interview Sprint $39/mo | Web |
More detail: Best AI apps for checkride oral prep and MockDPE vs HeyDPE vs Checkride.bot.
ATC and radio practice
Radio trainers have some of the most generous free tiers. Several let you practice every day without paying.
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| TowerTalk | Radio check, assessment and the phraseology course, no card | Monthly $20.99 | Web |
| ATCpal | 22 lessons, no card; free classroom dashboard for instructors | Pro $12.99/mo | Web |
| ReadBack AI | 2 sessions a day plus the full lesson path (easy level, 2 airports), no card | Solo $9.99/mo | iOS, Android |
| WilcoAI | Daily Challenge, 1 attempt a day, no card | First Officer $2.99/mo | iOS, iPadOS |
| Abeam | Daily quizzes, games, weather practice and a sample of the radio sim, no account | Premium $14.99/mo | iOS |
| OpenATC AI | Free and open source (MIT) AI ATC plugin; early alpha | None | X-Plane 12 |
More detail: Free AI ATC practice apps compares every radio app's free tier, and How to practice ATC radio calls with AI gives a practice routine.
FAR/AIM and regulation questions
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glide AI | Free forever: 5 questions an hour, cited answers from U.S. and Canadian documents, METARs and TAFs | Pro $29.99/mo | iOS, Android, Web |
| AeroCopilot ChatFAR | 5 AI messages a day | From $9.99/mo (Student) | Web |
| FAR/BOT | 3 prompts (beta; it says answers should be checked) | Pro $20/mo | Web |
| RegBrief | FAR/AIM library with search, no account (the cited AI Q&A is in Pro) | Plus $2.99/mo; Pro $5.99/mo | iOS, iPadOS |
Before trusting any chatbot on regulations, read Can ChatGPT answer FAR/AIM questions?.
Weather, NOTAMs and go/no-go
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartNOTAM | 2 NOTAM searches a day with plain-English summaries, no card | Pro $9.90/mo | Web |
| Notamify | Basic plan | Pro $24.90/mo | Web, iOS |
| FlightDecide | 3 go/no-go analyses a month, E6B tools | Pilot $9.99/mo | iPhone, iPad |
| PlaneWX | 2 monitored flights, 1 aircraft | Casual $7.99/mo | Web |
| AeroSense AI | 3 AI flight briefs a month | Pilot $20/mo | Web |
| SOLUS Copilot | iOS app free, no in-app purchases listed | None listed | iOS (web in invite-only beta) |
More detail: AI NOTAM apps compared and AI go/no-go and FRAT apps.
For CFIs and your logbook
Several instructor tools are free for the CFI, with the student paying or the tool in beta.
| Tool | What's free | Paid (from) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | Free U.S. beta for instructors: up to 4 students, 30 AI requests a month, no card | None listed | Web |
| VectoredOps | Free for instructors, unlimited students (students pay) | Students $79/mo | Web |
| Pilot IQ | Free logging plus 3 analyses; free for CFIs | $2.99 per analysis | Web |
| Aviator Archive | Logbook free up to 100 logged hours (AI Scan sold per page) | $199 one time | Windows, Linux |
More detail: AI tools for flight instructors and AI pilot logbook apps.
How to get the most from free tiers
- Use one free tool per stage. Written test first, radio alongside your early lessons, oral prep before the checkride. The student pilot starter kit lays out the order.
- Use daily limits daily. A tool with 2 sessions a day or 10 questions a day gives you a lot over a month if you open it every day.
- Pay for one tool at a time, when you hit a limit that's actually slowing you down.
- Check what the AI tells you. Free or paid, these tools can be wrong. The FAA handbooks, the regulations, your POH and your CFI are the authorities.
Browse all pilot AI guides or compare tools by category from the home page.
Cockpit Index is independent. No vendor paid to be listed or ranked in this guide. Free limits change often; check the vendor's site before you rely on one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free AI tool for student pilots?
For the written test, PPL Free Ground School gives a full Private Pilot course free with no card (22 modules, 899 questions, unlimited mock exams, 3 free AI instructor questions). For radio practice, TowerTalk's free tier (radio check, assessment and phraseology course) and ReadBack AI's free plan (2 sessions a day) are among the most generous. Limits checked October 19-22, 2026.
Is there a free AI checkride oral simulator?
Only as a sample. MockDPE gives 1 limited mock checkride with no card, Checkride.bot gives one free task on every exam with no account, and GroundScholar's free tier includes 1 oral-exam session a month. A full mock oral costs money with every tool we list.
Can I ask FAR/AIM questions to an AI for free?
Yes, with limits. Glide AI's free plan allows 5 questions an hour with cited answers, AeroCopilot ChatFAR allows 5 AI messages a day and FAR/BOT gives 3 prompts. Check every answer against the current regulation on eCFR or the AIM: AI can quote a rule that has changed or misread an exception.
Is there a free AI NOTAM decoder?
SmartNOTAM decodes NOTAMs into plain English with 2 free searches a day and no card, and Notamify has a free basic plan. Always read the raw NOTAM text for anything that affects your flight.
Are free trials included in this list?
No. This guide lists free tiers you can keep using. Time-limited trials (for example HeyDPE's 7 days or Koair's 3 days) are on each tool page and in our category comparisons.
More guides
- Best AI Apps for Checkride Oral Prep (2026)
- How to Practice ATC Radio Calls with AI
- Can ChatGPT Answer FAR/AIM Questions? What Pilots Should Know
- AI Tools for Student Pilots: A Starter Kit
- How to Use AI to Study for the Instrument Rating (2026)
- AI Weather Briefing Apps vs. a Traditional Preflight Briefing
- AI Pilot Logbook Apps: What They Automate and What You Still Sign
- How to Use ChatGPT for Ground School (Without Learning It Wrong)
- SayIntentions vs BeyondATC: AI ATC for Flight Simulators (2026)
- Free AI ATC Practice Apps (2026): What's Actually Free
- MockDPE vs HeyDPE vs Checkride.bot: AI Oral Prep Compared (2026)
- Best AI Apps for the FAA Written (Knowledge) Test (2026)
- AI Tools for Flight Instructors (CFIs) in 2026
- AI NOTAM Apps Compared (2026): ClearNOTAMs, Notamify, SmartNOTAM
- AI Flight Planning Apps for GA Pilots (2026): AvNav, FlightKit, Xega
- AI Go/No-Go and FRAT Apps for Pilots (2026): PlaneWX, FlightDecide, SOLUS