Aircraft like the Cessna 150 could qualify in the light sport category under proposed rule changes. [Credit: Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
The FAA's MOSAIC program proposes significant revisions to the rules governing Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) operations.
Key proposed changes dramatically increase limits for maximum takeoff weight (to ~3,000 lbs), maximum speed (to ~250 knots), and stall speed (to 54 knots).
These expanded limits would allow a much wider range of aircraft, including many popular general aviation models like Cessna 172s, to qualify for the LSA category (though limited to two occupants).
The changes aim to improve safety and accessibility, potentially making flying more economical by bringing more aircraft under the less restrictive LSA classification.
If the buzz of pilots chatting at your local airport seems louder than usual, it probably has something to do with the FAA’s Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) program.
The agency released a preview of its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the program, which is aimed at reworking some of the rules governing the light sport category of aircraft.
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Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4
