Is MOSAIC In Your Future?

Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 10:10 AM ET

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The STsw evolved from an earlier incarnation of the CT that sported a longer wing, but the change to the "sw" -- for "short wing" -- improved the bird's landing characteristics by reducing its tendancy to float on approach, a product of the CT's clean lines and efficient airfoil.

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's proposed MOSAIC initiative would significantly expand the types of aircraft eligible for sport pilot operation by replacing current weight and speed limits with new criteria based on stall speed (54 knots), max level flight speed (250 knots), and allowing up to four seats.
This expansion would enable sport pilots to fly a wider range of general aviation aircraft (e.g., Cessna 172s, complex planes with endorsements) and opens the category to electric and alternative propulsion systems by eliminating the single piston engine requirement.
Major aviation organizations (AOPA, EAA) support the proposal, which the FAA justifies by the favorable safety record of light-sport aircraft and its adherence to a risk-based "safety continuum."

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Both the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) are hailing the FAA’s late July 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the long-sought MOSAIC initiative. The acronym stands for “Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates,” and both organizations have been working with the FAA on it for years.

The proposal would significantly revise upward the pool of aircraft eligible for operation by sport pilots while also expanding the kinds of operations allowed. For example, the 1320-pound weight and 120-knot top speed limits for light sport aircraft (LSA) certification would go away, replaced with a new definition limiting fixed-wing aircraft to a clean stall speed (V_S1) of 54 knots calibrated airspeed, a maximum level flight speed (V_H) of 250 knots and four seats. A sport pilot would still be limited to only a single passenger, however.