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Aviation · head to head

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D vs PFPX Flight Planning

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D logo

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Aviation

Professional-grade flight simulation and training platform

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

PFPX Flight Planning

Aviation

Real-world flight simulation flight planning

From
$79.99/lifetime
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lockheed Martin Prepar3D high system resource requirements with 85 GB base installation and 32 GB RAM recommended; PFPX Flight Planning the Internet Archive's capture of pfpx.com on 7 December 2018 carried the vendor's own notice that 'The URL of the PFPX homepage has changed to www.flightsimsoft.com'; the 2021 capture of flightsimsoft.com confirms PFPX (Professional Flight Planner X) is sold by FSS GmbH alongside a second product, TOPCAT, though the linked Pricing page was not itself archived.
  • They diverge on capability: Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, PFPX Flight Planning covers Flight planning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lockheed Martin Prepar3D and PFPX Flight Planning actually diverge.

Attributes where Lockheed Martin Prepar3D and PFPX Flight Planning differ
AttributeLockheed Martin Prepar3DPFPX Flight Planning
Starting price$9.99/month$79.99/lifetime
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWindows, VrWindows
Founded20102007

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 Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

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

Only in PFPX Flight Planning

  • Flight planning
  • Aircraft data
  • Weather analysis
  • Fuel calculation
  • Route optimization
  • Flight simulators
  • Real weather
  • NOTAMs

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

  • Pilot trainingnot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Type rating trainingnot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Proficiency maintenancenot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Scenario trainingnot PFPX Flight Planning
  • Aircraft developmentnot PFPX Flight Planning

PFPX Flight Planning

  • Flight planningnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Realistic simulationnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • VA operationsnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D
  • Trainingnot Lockheed Martin Prepar3D

Where each one falls short

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

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

PFPX Flight Planning

  • The Internet Archive's capture of pfpx.com on 7 December 2018 carried the vendor's own notice that 'The URL of the PFPX homepage has changed to www.flightsimsoft.com'; the 2021 capture of flightsimsoft.com confirms PFPX (Professional Flight Planner X) is sold by FSS GmbH alongside a second product, TOPCAT, though the linked Pricing page was not itself archived.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

PFPX Flight Planning

$79.99/lifetime
  • PFPX Standard$79.99/lifetime
    • Flight planning
    • Real aircraft data
    • Weather integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Lockheed Martin Prepar3D if

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

Choose PFPX Flight Planning if

  • You need flight planning.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want aircraft data.
PFPX Flight Planning review

Questions people ask

Is Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or PFPX Flight Planning better?
Neither clearly leads. Lockheed Martin Prepar3D starts at $9.99/month and PFPX Flight Planning at $79.99/lifetime, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or PFPX Flight Planning?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D starts at $9.99/month and PFPX Flight Planning at $79.99/lifetime.
Does Lockheed Martin Prepar3D or PFPX Flight Planning run on more platforms?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D runs on Windows, Vr. PFPX Flight Planning runs on Windows.
What is Lockheed Martin Prepar3D best used for?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D is most often used for pilot training, type rating training, proficiency maintenance, scenario training. Of those, pilot training and type rating training are not what PFPX Flight Planning is typically brought in for.
What can Lockheed Martin Prepar3D do that PFPX Flight Planning cannot?
Lockheed Martin Prepar3D covers Flight simulation, Aircraft systems, Realistic physics, Training scenarios. PFPX Flight Planning covers Flight planning, Aircraft data, Weather analysis, Fuel calculation. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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