The MOSAIC rule fundamentally redefines Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) by replacing previous weight and airspeed limitations with a stall speed criterion (up to 61 knots flaps-down), allowing for significantly faster aircraft (up to 250 knots) to qualify.
This expansion means sport pilots can now fly a much broader range of aircraft, including certain legacy normal category aircraft that meet the new LSA stall speed definition, although sport pilots remain limited to carrying only one passenger.
MOSAIC introduces new privileges for sport pilots, such as night flying with additional training and endorsements for more complex aircraft features like retractable gear, and opens the door for LSAs to be used for various commercial operations.
The changes aim to make flying more accessible and affordable, stimulate new interest in flight training, inspire new LSA aircraft designs, and potentially include helicopters and eVTOLs in the light sport category.
Since the rule was announced, aviation groups such as the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) have been inundated with queries about what MOSAIC means to the flying community.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![MOSAIC defines light sport aircraft by stall speed, not gross weight, making it possible for legacy single-engine trainers like the Cessna 150 to be flown by sport pilots. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FLY1125_2.3-FEAT4-MOSAIC-1.jpeg)
