Since I soloed in a Taylorcraft more than 50 years ago, and fly my own Champ regularly, I was granted one of the first FAA Sport DPE approvals. It was a wild and woolly world in 2004 as the FAA figured out how to regulate the diverse world of sport-flying machines. Many newly accepted flying machines were only “heavy ultralights.” Most new sport aircraft were (very) “experimental.” I personally limited my work to flying machines that had wheels (my feet are *not* the landing gear) and no “John Denver fuel selectors.” Dual controls are optional in sport aircraft, so pick your poison in this environment. You can even test single-seat machines from the ground with a single-seat pilot limitation! The ASTM, factory-built Sport planes created a more predictable configuration, and now the new challenge will be pilot training.
The New MOSAIC
MOSAIC became the law on July 18, 2025 (and now the FAA is busy writing the guidance?) This new set of regulations will allow sport pilots to fly about 70% of the GA Part 23 approved fleet with certain limitations (and hopefully we get a Sport Pilot ACS?):
-
Up to four seats (for airplanes) but still one passenger.
-
No weight limit (performance is limited by stall speed instead; 59K CAS clean.
-
A maximum speed of 250 knots
-
Retractable landing gear and constant-speed propellers
-
Alternative powerplants, including electric and turbine engines
One of the first pilots I tested flew his Luscombe all the way from South Carolina as a student pilot to get his evaluation. The new MOSAIC challenge will be expanding pilot privileges safely (writing the rules now?) This will be a challenge for educators – as well as pilots – if we are to pull this off safely. I just got an email from a member asking “how do I (hypothetically) transition a sport pilot into a Cessna 182?” (great question). Let’s examine this process as it might occur (safely). And if anyone has more info, add it to the comments please.
Sport Pilot *Separate* From (New) Sport Airplanes
Sport pilots were historically limited primarily by weight, but now the limits are mostly speed. MOSAIC allows sport pilot to fly standard category aircraft with clean stall up to 59K and max cruise limited to 250K. But assuming the plane falls within these limitations, a sport pilot certificate could potentially have a lot of limitations that need to be removed with training and endorsements. Flying a heavier plane like a Skylane is quite a change from an LSA. This is an opportunity (and challenge) for the aviation educator. The historic sport limitations would preclude safe and reasonable operation of this machine. Can these privileges be added safely in a serial à la carte fashion? Please see the new AC 61-65K for all the new endorsements. Adding speed, airspace, communication, altitude, plus complex systems is a real educational challenge (with potential liability implications).
No Controlled A/S Skills, Limited Cross Country
A sport pilot is not required to be trained or tested on ATC communication skills (just non-towered operations), and their cross-country training is truncated. This was one way the FAA shortened the sport training time: “no complex radio skills” and “no serious cross-country training.” This is why my first applicant’s journey of 600nm was so challenging. Sport Pilots need an endorsement to operate in Class B, C, and D airspace. More training will be necessary under MOSAIC in both these areas. Historically, a sport pilot could not fly at night or above the clouds.. Night privileges are now added to a Sport Pilot certificate with “training and endorsement” (plus a medical for night). Retractable gear and controllable pitch propeller aircraft operations are also added this way. (New AC 61-65K)
No Night or Instrument Training, Single Engine Only
It seems the real training challenge is building a sport pilot into a private à la carte, one endorsement at a time – but without a medical requirement (or flight test). Would it be easier to just add the training necessary to create (and test) a private pilot and eliminate the basic med requirement for an initial FAA medical? We definitely are in for a wild ride ahead for both pilots and aviation educators (as well as insurance adjusters). The critical safety check will be personal caution and a humble attitude. Crashing is always painful and expensive – let’s do this safely!
Tell us what *you* think!