--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "AvID - Aviation Guide" developer_entity: "Jon Heslin" bundle_id: "net.justplanehappy.AvID" app_store_id: "1252896095" category: "Reference" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Subscription" offline_capable: true market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS" app_last_updated: "2019-07-21" report_date: "2026-10-09" last_verified: "2026-10-09T00:00:00.000Z" report_version: "3.1.0" total_reviews: 27 overall_rating: 4.2 sentiment: "Frustrated" sentiment_score: 25 confidence: "low" confidence_score: 0.35 top_praise_theme: "Aviation enthusiasts value the ability to identify aircraft by tail number and track local air shows" top_complaint_theme: "Database lookup failures for registered aircraft prevent users from finding basic information on common tail numbers" review_sample_size: 6 total_review_count: 6 analyzed_review_count: 6 data_age_days: 37 momentum_velocity: "zombie" intelligence_version: 2 tags: ["reference", "subscription", "frustrated sentiment", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "aviation", "enthusiasts,", "airport"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/avid-aviation-guide" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # AvID - Aviation Guide Intelligence Report ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Reference · Subscription - **Signal**: Rating 4.19 · Sentiment Frustrated - **Recent focus**: Database lookup failures for registered aircraft prevent users from finding basic information on common tail numbers (top complaint) · Aviation enthusiasts value the ability to identify aircraft by tail number and track local air shows (top praise) > **TL;DR:** AvID - Aviation Guide is a reference app by Jon Heslin, rated 4.19/5 by 27 users, with Frustrated user sentiment (25/100), available on iOS. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** - Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** AvID - Aviation Guide faces Frustrated user sentiment (4.19/5 from 27 reviews), with users reporting database lookup failures for registered aircraft prevent users from finding basic information on common tail numbers as the primary concern. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 4.19/5 (27 reviews) | | **User Mood** | Frustrated | | **Category** | Reference | | **Developer** | Jon Heslin | | **Pricing** | Subscription | | **Platforms** | iOS | | **Confidence** | Low (0.35/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 37d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** Jon Heslin - **Category:** Reference - **Target Audience:** Aviation enthusiasts, airport managers, and airshow attendees requiring offline registration lookups. - **Platforms:** iOS - **Version Reviewed:** 3.1.0 - **Report Date:** 2026-10-09 - **Signal Count:** 6 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Low (0.35/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1252896095 - **Bundle ID:** net.justplanehappy.AvID - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-10-09 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** AvID is an aviation reference app for iOS that provides offline access to aircraft registration databases and airshow event calendars. **Why users hire it:** The app serves users in remote airfields who require aircraft identification tools without cellular connectivity, though the current data staleness limits its utility. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Differentiator] Offline Aircraft Database:** Search U.S. and Canadian civil and military aircraft registration data without an internet connection. * *User Intent:* Users want uninterrupted access without internet dependency. - **[Standard] Aircraft Registry Search:** Lookup tool for model year, type, registration, and engine horsepower for over 1 million aircraft. * *User Intent:* Users want to quickly find relevant content or features. - **[Standard] Airshow Event Calendar:** Locate nearby airshows and save event details to the device calendar. * *User Intent:* Users expect intelligent, adaptive experiences that learn from their behavior. ## Market Position {#market-position} AvID occupies a niche reference space for offline aviation data, but its lack of updates since 2019 leaves it vulnerable to modern, cloud-connected competitors. With only 27 total ratings across its lifetime, the app lacks the scale to compete with broader aviation platforms. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Subscription - **Tiers:** 2-week free trial, $1.99/year, $2.99 lifetime - **Analysis:** The subscription model is anchored at a low price point to maximize conversion, though users report dissatisfaction with gating previously free data. ## 🔴 User Sentiment (Low Confidence: 6 of 6 reviews analyzed) {#user-sentiment} - **Overall Rating:** 4.19/5 - **Platform Split:** iOS 4.2/5 (27 ratings) - **Overall Sentiment:** Frustrated - **Note:** The 4.19/5 store rating reflects cumulative history, while the Frustrated sentiment reflects recent user reviews analyzed by our AI pipeline. ### Top Praises - **Aviation enthusiasts value the ability to identify aircraft by tail number and track local air shows** ### Top Complaints (Impact Areas) - **Database lookup failures for registered aircraft prevent users from finding basic information on common tail numbers** ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Offline database architecture enables utility in remote airfields without connectivity **Growth Levers:** - Refresh FAA and Transport Canada registry data to restore core search accuracy ## What's New - **Latest (v3.1.0, 7 years ago):** Added Canadian civil aircraft tail number lookups via Transport Canada registry integration and updated U.S. civil and military databases. ## App Momentum (Zombie) {#momentum} - Dormant since July 2019. - No feature updates in 87 months. > **Cadence:** 1 total versions · 1 majors in last 6 months · 2637 days since last update ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} AvID - Aviation Guide is a reference app. With a 4.19/5 rating from 27 reviews, it faces significant user friction. > **Bottom Line:** AvID's seven-year development gap has rendered its core registry data obsolete, and gating this broken functionality behind a subscription has severely damaged user trust. A pivot to a free, ad-supported model or a complete registry refresh is required to remain viable. **Best for:** Aviation enthusiasts, airport managers, and airshow attendees requiring offline registration lookups. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [PIVOT] Refresh the aircraft registry database because the current data is seven years out of date → restore core utility ### Outlook: Declining The aviation reference market is shifting toward real-time, cloud-connected data, leaving AvID's static database model increasingly irrelevant. Without a significant registry refresh, the app will continue to lose users to modern alternatives that provide accurate, up-to-date information. - 🔴 The seven-year update gap means the registry database is likely inaccurate, causing search failures that drive users to external competitors. - 🔴 Subscription friction on broken core features accelerates churn, as users report that the app no longer provides the value it once did. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 4.19/5 | | Total Reviews | 27 | | Sentiment | Frustrated (25/100) | | Confidence | Low | | Pricing Model | Subscription | | Platforms | iOS | | Key Features | 3 analyzed | | Outlook | Declining | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **AvID - Aviation Guide** (this app) | 4.19/5 | Frustrated | Jon Heslin | | [올어바웃성경](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-allabout-bibleapp) | 5.0/5 | N/A | Gilju Lee | | [Hallow: Prayer & Meditation](https://marlvel.ai/apps/hallow-prayer-meditation) | 4.7/5 | n/a | Hallow, Inc. | | [고려대 한국어 속담 사전](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--428) | N/A/5 | N/A | DaolSoft, Co., Ltd. | | [우리말 의학사전](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--427) | N/A/5 | N/A | DaolSoft, Co., Ltd. | | [공인중개사 용어사전](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--429) | N/A/5 | N/A | DaolSoft, Co., Ltd. | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** Jon Heslin ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store ID:** 1252896095 - **Sources:** App store metadata, User reviews. ## Related Intel Reports - [*올어바웃성경*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-allabout-bibleapp) (Gilju Lee) · 5.0/5 Rating - [*Hallow: Prayer & Meditation*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/hallow-prayer-meditation) (Hallow, Inc.) · 4.7/5 Rating - [*고려대 한국어 속담 사전*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--428) (DaolSoft, Co., Ltd.) · N/A Rating - [*우리말 의학사전*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--427) (DaolSoft, Co., Ltd.) · N/A Rating - [*공인중개사 용어사전*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--429) (DaolSoft, Co., Ltd.) · N/A Rating - [*브리태니커 콘사이스 백과사전*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--425) (DaolSoft, Co., Ltd.) · N/A Rating - [*100 Radio Hrvatska (HR) : Vijesti, glazba, Nogomet*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/100-radio-hrvatska-hr-vijesti-glazba-nogomet) (Thomas Gesland) · 1.0/5 Rating - [*100 US Citizenship Test Questions 2017*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/100-us-citizenship-test-questions-2017) (Andrey Fetisov) · 4.7/5 Rating - [*١٠١ پرسیار لە زانستی قورئان*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--952) (Abdulwahab F. Omar) · 5.0/5 Rating - [*10ten Japanese Reader*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/10ten-japanese-reader) (Birchill, Inc.) · 4.9/5 Rating ## Frequently Asked Questions {#faq} ### Is AvID still updated with current aircraft registration data? No, AvID has not received a database or feature update since July 2019, meaning the registration data is significantly outdated. ### Does AvID work without an internet connection? Yes, AvID is designed to function offline, which is its primary utility for users in remote airfields. ### Why am I being asked to pay for search features? AvID transitioned to a subscription model, gating core registry search features behind a paywall, which has been a source of frustration for long-term users. ### Are there better alternatives for aircraft lookups? Users report that manual searches on external, real-time aviation engines often yield results that AvID cannot find due to its outdated database. ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** - Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** - Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** - Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction into synthesised themes (no verbatim quotes). 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** - Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** - Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.35/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 6 - **Data Sources:** user reviews, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 37 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/avid-aviation-guide) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.