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Aviation · head to head

ARINC Direct vs Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

A

ARINC Direct

Aviation

Real-time flight operations and dispatch platform

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D logo

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Aviation

Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ARINC Direct no free trial available to evaluate platform before purchase commitment; Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • They diverge on capability: ARINC Direct covers Real-time flight tracking, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARINC Direct and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D actually diverge.

Attributes where ARINC Direct and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D differ
AttributeARINC DirectLockheed Martin Prepar3D
Starting price$500/month$9.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWindows, Vr
Founded19822010

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Aviation).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ARINC Direct

  • Real-time flight tracking
  • Dispatch management
  • Crew coordination
  • Weather integration
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • ACARS systems
  • Jeppesen flight planning
  • ForeFlight

Only in Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Flight simulation
  • Aircraft systems
  • Realistic physics
  • Training scenarios
  • Performance analysis
  • Hardware controllers
  • VR systems
  • Motion platforms

Both cover

  • Data encryption

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ARINC Direct

  • Flight dispatchnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Crew managementnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Weather monitoringnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Maintenance coordinationnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Regulatory compliancenot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Pilot trainingnot ARINC Direct
  • Type rating trainingnot ARINC Direct
  • Proficiency maintenancenot ARINC Direct
  • Scenario trainingnot ARINC Direct
  • Aircraft developmentnot ARINC Direct

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ARINC Direct

  • No free trial available to evaluate platform before purchase commitment
  • Pricing structure lacks transparency with wide range of costs depending on user count
  • Requires specialized training for regulatory compliance workflows

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • High system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended
  • Expensive Professional and Professional Plus licenses for commercial and business use
  • Limited backward compatibility with older 32-bit aircraft modules
  • SimDirector scenario creation tool requires programming knowledge for advanced customization

Pricing, plan by plan

ARINC Direct

$500/month

No published plan breakdown. See the ARINC Direct review.

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

$9.99/month
  • Standard$9.99/month
    • Flight simulation
    • Basic aircraft
    • Training tools
  • Professional$99.99/month
    • Advanced simulation
    • Full aircraft systems
    • Advanced training

Which should you pick?

Choose ARINC Direct if

  • You need real-time flight tracking.
  • You also want dispatch management.
ARINC Direct review

Choose Lockheed Martin Prepar3D if

  • You need flight simulation.
  • You work on Windows, Vr.
  • You also want aircraft systems.
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D review

Questions people ask

Is ARINC Direct or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D better?
Neither clearly leads. ARINC Direct starts at $500/month and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ARINC Direct or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D?
ARINC Direct starts at $500/month and Lockheed Martin Prepar3D at $9.99/month.
Does ARINC Direct or Lockheed Martin Prepar3D run on more platforms?
ARINC Direct runs on Web. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr.
What is ARINC Direct best used for?
ARINC Direct is most often used for flight dispatch, crew management, weather monitoring, maintenance coordination. Of those, flight dispatch and crew management are not what Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is typically brought in for.
What can ARINC Direct do that Lockheed Martin Prepar3D cannot?
ARINC Direct covers Real-time flight tracking, Dispatch management, Crew coordination, Weather integration. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. Both handle Data encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARINC Direct: What is ARINC Direct designed for?

ARINC Direct is flight operations software for business aviation operators managing private and corporate aircraft, with tools for scheduling, compliance, crew recordkeeping, maintenance planning, and regulatory documentation.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the license options for Prepar3D?

Prepar3D offers three license tiers: Personal ($59.95) for personal training and K-12 education, Professional ($350) for professional pilot training and commercial uses, and Professional Plus ($2,750) for businesses with advanced features. Developer monthly licenses are available at $9.99 and $50 for Professional and Professional Plus respectively.

Source
ARINC Direct: What key features does ARINC Direct provide?

Features include compliance management, labor cost reporting, logbook tracking, maintenance scheduling, automated diagnostics, AI-powered regulatory reporting, and real-time data monitoring with safety alerts.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: What are the system requirements?

Prepar3D v6 requires approximately 85 GB storage, 32 GB RAM or more for optimal performance, 8 GB or more VRAM, and a DX12-capable GPU with 64-bit architecture. Detailed scenery and aircraft add-ons can significantly increase storage and performance requirements.

Source
ARINC Direct: Does ARINC Direct offer a free trial?

No. ARINC Direct does not offer a free trial or free version. Organizations must commit to a paid plan to access the platform.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Can I create custom training scenarios?

Yes. Prepar3D includes SimDirector, a scenario generation tool that allows users to create training scenarios across aviation, maritime, and ground domains. Users can place world objects, define scenario logic, create missions, and provide instruction sessions, making it suitable for cockpit training, flight planning, and emergency response preparation.

Source
ARINC Direct: What is the pricing for ARINC Direct?

Pricing is subscription-based and varies significantly by organization size. A small business with one user might pay around $500/month, while a 50-user setup could cost approximately $5,000/month. Enterprise pricing for 100+ users can exceed $10,000/month.

Source
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D: Is Prepar3D compatible with third-party add-ons?

Prepar3D v5 and v6 maintain compatibility with many Microsoft Flight Simulator X add-ons. However, 32-bit aircraft modules are not compatible with 64-bit Prepar3D versions, and third-party add-ons must be updated for the specific Prepar3D version being used.

Source
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