MOSAIC redefines Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) based on stall speed (up to 61 knots) instead of previous weight and airspeed limits, allowing faster and potentially heavier aircraft to qualify.
Sport pilot privileges are expanded, enabling them to fly a wider range of aircraft (though still limited to one passenger) and, with additional training and medical endorsement, operate at night or with complex aircraft features.
The changes are expected to increase accessibility to aviation, broaden training opportunities for flight schools, and open new commercial uses for LSAs (e.g., aerial surveys, photography), potentially inspiring new aircraft designs.
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)
