In July, 2025, the long-awaited MOSAIC closing rule was launched with a phased implementation schedule. Regulatory adjustments associated to Sport Pilots have been deliberate to enter impact 90 days after publication within the Federal Register (efficient October 22, 2025). Modifications associated to Mild Sport Plane (LSA) have been deliberate to turn into efficient twelve months after publication (efficient July 24, 2026). Regulation hyperlinks inside this submit could go to placeholders till their efficient date. Confer with the ultimate rule linked above for particulars, whether it is earlier than the efficient dates.
One of many key provisions of the change is actually splitting the Sport Pilot certificates necessities and privileges from the Mild Sport Plane necessities. Beforehand, they used the identical standards for each.
The 1320-pound limitation was faraway from the definition of LSAs (July, 2026) and Sport Pilot eligible (October, 2025) plane. The brand new rule shifts to a performance-based commonplace for each LSAs and Sport Pilots, although the factors for each will not be the identical.
The 1320-pound limitation was faraway from the definition of LSAs (July, 2026) and Sport Pilot eligible (October, 2025) plane.
Sport Pilots and Privileges
Efficient October 22, 2025, for Sport Pilots, the utmost stalling pace for airplanes within the clear configuration (VS1) was raised from 45 KCAS to 59 KCAS. Seating limitations for airplanes have been raised from 2 seats to 4 seats so long as not more than 1 passenger is carried by the Sport Pilot. This redefinition of the restrictions provides most 4-seat trainers to the Sport Pilot’s arsenal of obtainable airplanes.
Past the efficiency standards, retractable touchdown gear, controllable pitch propellers, and night time flights are additionally allowed with the right coaching and endorsements.
Different standards are coated within the new 14 CFR §61.316 What are the efficiency limits and design necessities for the plane {that a} sport pilot could function?
Sport pilots will not be permitted to function any plane that requires a kind score.
Sport and higher-level pilots working underneath sport privileges can nonetheless function utilizing a driver’s license as a medical for many operations. Night time flying requires an FAA medical or BasicMed.
Efficient October 22, 2025, Sport Pilot candidates could now acquire as much as 2.5 hours of coaching credit score in a class and sophistication certified flight simulation coaching machine / aviation coaching machine.
Including a brand new class or class score on the sport degree to an current pilot certificates was permitted with out using a sensible examination previous to MOSAIC. This has modified for including an airplane single-engine land or sea or including a rotorcraft-helicopter score. These additions now require a sensible examination with a pilot examiner. Including different classes and lessons should still be accomplished with a flight teacher proficiency examine from a unique teacher than the one which accomplished the coaching for the addition. All of those additions require the right coaching and endorsement from a certified teacher previous to the sensible examination or proficiency examine.
The earlier model of the Sport Pilot guidelines didn’t permit helicopters to be constructed as gentle sport plane or flown by Sport Pilots. The brand new rules have provisions for helicopters licensed with simplified flight controls. As famous in 14 CFR §61.9, flight time acquired whereas flying an airplane or helicopter with simplified flight controls might not be used for sure solo/PIC aeronautical expertise necessities for a non-public, industrial, or airline transport pilot certificates.
Efficient July 24, 2026, 14 CFR §22.180 defines what the simplified flight management certification requires. Pilots are required to have mannequin particular coaching and an endorsement for all simplified flight management plane that they fly. Instructors will want this endorsement as nicely so as to train in this kind of plane except they fall underneath an “preliminary cadre” designation as indicated in 61.195(n). If the sensible examination for a class and sophistication is accomplished in a simplified flight management mannequin of plane, the pilot can be restricted to this mannequin till they acquire further coaching, endorsement(s), and/or a sensible examination.
Night time flying requires an FAA medical or BasicMed.
Sport Pilot Instructors
There have been a number of minor adjustments for Sport Pilot Instructors. These have been largely associated to needing coaching and endorsements of their very own to show in retractable touchdown gear, controllable pitch propeller, and simplified flight management plane. Coaching and endorsements are additionally wanted for educating night time flying. Necessities for including rotorcraft class and helicopter class with a simplified flight controls designation to a Sport Pilot Teacher certificates have been additionally added.
The brand new rule additionally clarifies that Sport Pilot Instructors could cost for his or her educational companies.
Mild Sport Class Plane
The MOSAIC rule provides a brand new Half 22 to 14 CFR. Half 22 covers the Design, Manufacturing, and Airworthiness Necessities for Non-Sort Certificated Plane. This is likely one of the rule adjustments being launched in July, 2026. Whereas SLSAs will nonetheless be designed and conform to an trade consensus commonplace, Half 22 lays down some floor guidelines for the plane produced to those requirements. As of this writing, it solely supplies the steering present in Subpart B—Mild-Sport Class Plane.
Half 22 is the place you will discover the factors that defines the eligibility necessities for an plane to be thought-about an LSA that can be produced by a producer. The earlier definition is being faraway from Half 1 and moved to 21.181(a)(3)(iv) to cowl LSAs licensed previous to July 24, 2026. The brand new 14 CFR §22.100 will outline new LSA eligibility as:
(a) To be eligible for a particular airworthiness certificates within the light-sport class issued underneath §21.190 of this chapter, an plane should—
(1) Aside from an airplane, have a most seating capability of no more than two individuals, together with the pilot.(2) For an airplane, have a most seating capability of no more than 4 individuals, together with the pilot.
(3) Have a most stalling pace or minimal regular flight pace on the plane’s most takeoff weight and most important middle of gravity of 61 knots CAS VS0 for an airplane, 45 knots CAS VS0 for a glider, or 45 knots CAS with out using lift-enhancing gadgets, VS1, for a weight-shift-control plane.
(4) Have a most pace of 250 knots CAS in degree flight with most steady energy (VH) underneath commonplace atmospheric circumstances at sea degree.
(5) Have a non-pressurized cabin, if outfitted with a cabin.
(6) Not have been beforehand issued an ordinary, major, restricted, restricted, or provisional airworthiness certificates, or an equal airworthiness certificates by a overseas civil aviation authority.
(7) Meet the design, manufacturing, and airworthiness necessities specified on this subpart utilizing a way of compliance consisting of consensus requirements accepted or authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
(8) Be inspected by the FAA and located to be in a situation for secure operation.
(b) For plane manufactured outdoors the US, an applicant should additionally present the FAA proof that—
(1) The plane was manufactured in a rustic with which the US has a Bilateral Airworthiness Settlement regarding airplanes or Bilateral Aviation Security Settlement with related Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness regarding airplanes, or an equal airworthiness settlement; and(2) The plane is eligible for an airworthiness certificates, flight authorization, or different related certification in its nation of manufacture.
Chances are you’ll be aware that there’s a distinction between the LSA Airplane stalling pace with high-lift gadgets (usually flaps) used for approval as an LSA and the clear configuration stall pace limitation for Sport Pilots. It’s doable {that a} producer might produce an LSA {that a} Sport Pilot wouldn’t be permitted to fly. This can be a operate of the LSA and Sport Pilot data being analyzed and authorized individually whereas they have been beforehand tied extra carefully collectively. Airplanes with a VS1 larger than 59 KCAS might nonetheless be authorized underneath the less complicated LSA consensus requirements if their VS0 is 61 KCAS or much less. Pilots would doubtless want a Non-public pilot certificates or larger to fly any airplanes on this slender band of limitation variations. Leisure pilots would doubtless get caught by different energy associated limitations.
Half 22 additionally removes the single-reciprocating engine requirement that restricted using electrical motors and different applied sciences within the LSA class. This additionally permits the event of LSA multiengine airplanes and different plane supplied that the propulsion programs, “Be designed in order that the failure of any product or article doesn’t forestall continued secure flight and touchdown or, if continued secure flight and touchdown can’t be ensured, the hazard has been minimized;” Conventional gentle, 4-seat twins with decrease stall speeds wouldn’t be flyable by Sport Pilots because of the 61.316(a)(5) requirement, “For powered plane aside from balloons or airships, the lack of partial energy wouldn’t adversely have an effect on directional management of the plane and the plane design should permit the pilot the potential of creating a managed descent within the occasion of a partial or complete powerplant failure.” and the dearth of a Sport Pilot Airplane Multiengine class score.
Different MOSAIC Modifications
Another miscellaneous adjustments included within the closing rule embrace:
A variety of different adjustments have been made to Half 21 to make clear and increase the issuance of restricted airworthiness certificates for numerous plane. Experimental airworthiness certificates issued to producers for testing new designs will now be good for 3 years somewhat than 1 yr.
Half 36 is expounded to noise requirements. The ultimate rule amends this to offer a voluntary means for plane house owners and producers of plane that don’t conform to a kind certificates to exhibit compliance with Half 36 noise ranges for his or her plane. This rule permits using trade consensus requirements as a way of compliance with Half 36 for the primary time and permits using a press release of compliance (SOC) as a technique of displaying compliance. This transformation doesn’t create new noise limits, nor does it apply to plane that conform to a kind certificates.
Programs for Repairman with Mild Sport Inspection or Mild Sport Upkeep grew to become much less prescriptive when it comes to hours in favor of extra performance-based standards.
Privileges for these Mild Sport Plane Repairman certificates holders have been additionally expanded to incorporate engaged on Experimental-Novice Constructed plane even when they weren’t the unique builder. Inspector Ranking holders can nonetheless solely sign-off on a situation inspection in the event that they personal the plane. Upkeep Ranking holders could cost for his or her companies. Each can solely work on plane class and lessons for which they’ve been educated. Repairman adjustments are efficient as of October 22, 2025.
14 CFR 91.327(a)(3) permits LSAs for use for compensation or rent “To conduct any aerial work operations specified within the plane’s pilot working handbook or working limitations, as relevant, and specified within the producer’s assertion of compliance for the plane, in accordance with §21.190 of this chapter.” It will doubtless solely apply to newly authorized plane and is efficient July 24, 2026.
Conclusion
Quite a few teams, organizations, and people have been working with the FAA for years to result in these rule adjustments. Now that they’re right here, solely time will inform if they may carry in regards to the desired progress and alternatives in aviation whereas not compromising our enhancing security file. If nothing else, the adjustments ought to permit some older pilots to return to aviation and permit new pilots to coach as sport pilots with out wanted to discover a flight college with an elusive LSA primarily based on the outdated definition. All of us hope that there are some producers on the market which are prepared to leap on the brand new LSA bandwagon, however it is going to be a minimum of July, 2026, earlier than we see any of these designs come to fruition.
Fly and keep secure!
Paul Jurgens is the Chief Teacher for Multiengine and Flight Teacher Refresher programs at Sporty’s Academy. He holds a multiengine ATP certificates with a Cessna Quotation kind score together with industrial privileges in single-engine land and sea airplanes, gliders, and sizzling air balloons. Chief Jurgens holds teacher scores for single & multiengine airplanes, instrument airplanes, & gliders. He additionally has instructing privileges in sizzling air balloons by advantage of his industrial certificates.In his function as VP of Security, Safety, and Compliance for Sporty’s Academy, Chief Jurgens develops and maintains the mandatory programs to meet that function. He additionally develops materials which finally turns into part of the courseware used at Sporty’s Academy and offered by means of Sporty’s Pilot Store.
