First Phase of MOSAIC Arrives, Expands Sport Pilot Privileges

New FAA rule also removes weight limits for LSAs and introduces changes to aviator training and certification.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 02:07 PM ET

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Meg Godlewski

A wide range of light aircraft and the pilots that fly them will be positively affected by the implementation of MOSAIC. [Credit: Leonardo Correa Luna]

Key Takeaways:

The first phase of the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) is now live, significantly revising the 2004 Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) rules.
MOSAIC eliminates the LSA weight limit, replacing it with a 61-knot stall speed, allowing a wider range of aircraft, including many vintage single-engine models and new designs, to qualify.
Sport pilots gain new privileges, such as flying aircraft with up to four seats (limited to two occupants), controllable-pitch propellers, and retractable landing gear (with additional training and endorsement).
Sport pilots can still use a driver's license for daytime flight without an FAA medical, and further updates, including simplified flight control certification, are scheduled for July 2026.

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The first phase of Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) is now live.

In July the new rule was announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with the promise that within 90 days of the date (Wednesday) the vast majority of the single-engine general aviation fleet would be legally accessible to those holding sport pilot certificates. Additional changes to the rules regarding aircraft certification will follow in July 2026.