At a press conference at the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, yesterday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau announced that the FAA has published the final version of the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (Mosaic) rule. The Mosaic rule amends the light-sport aircraft rules that came into effect in 2004 but that had significant limitations, such as a maximum aircraft weight of 1,320 pounds and no explicit permission for electric-powered aircraft.
“I can’t think of a better place than at the largest general aviation airshow in the U.S. to announce that we’re unleashing American ingenuity,” Duffy said. “This new rule will promote better designs, safer materials, and upgraded technology in the recreational aviation sector. Our recreational pilots and plane manufacturers have correctly noted outdated regulations were inhibiting innovation and safety. No more. Let’s bring this industry into a new age.”
Mosaic addresses manufacture, certification, operation, maintenance, and alteration of light-sport aircraft, including new pilot privileges, special purpose operations for restricted category aircraft, and amended experimental aircraft operating limitations.
According to the FAA, “The successful safety record of light-sport category aircraft since the 2004 final rule validates certification requirements established in that rule and provides support for expanding the scope of certification for light-sport category aircraft and operations…FAA intends for these expansions to increase the safety of recreational aviation by encouraging aircraft owners, who may be deciding between an experimental aircraft or a light-sport category aircraft, to choose light-sport category aircraft that are higher on the safety continuum and, therefore, meet higher aircraft certification requirements.
“FAA also intends for this rule to increase the safety of light-sport category aircraft by eliminating the prescriptive weight limit for light-sport category aircraft that hinders safety-enhancing designs and by adopting new design, production, and airworthiness requirements.”
Under the Mosaic rule, a sport pilot will be able to operate aircraft with up to four seats but limited to carrying two occupants. The rule enables the adoption of so-called “simplified flight controls” that could include unconventional fly-by-wire single-control stick operation, for example. New privileges under the rule include operating helicopters, flying at night, aircraft with retractable landing gear, and aircraft with constant-speed propellers. There are no limits on weight nor on powerplants, which could have implications for advanced air mobility aircraft. The rule also amends limits on cruise speed and maximum stall speed, the latter of which is 61 knots for a powered airplane and 45 knots for a glider.
A person holding a light-sport repairman certificate will be able to conduct a condition inspection on amateur-built experimental aircraft. “This rule also revises the requirements for manufacturer-issued safety directives and revises requirements for performing repairs and alterations of light-sport category aircraft,” according to the FAA. The maintenance rating training course is changing from a prescriptive hours-based requirement to a performance-based standard based on the FAA mechanic airman certification standards.
A big change under Mosaic is removal of the rule requiring light-sport aircraft to be in compliance with manufacturer safety directives. Maintenance requirements still need to be satisfied under existing FAA regulations, but manufacturer safety directives will no longer be mandatory. Also, minor repairs and alterations will not require manufacturer approval.
Light-sport aircraft under Mosaic will be qualified for aerial work operations for compensation or hire that include “infrastructure and forest inspections, photography/filming, and agricultural surveillance.” Aerial work does not include air tours.
Mosaic rules for sport pilots and light-sport repairmen will take effect 90 days after publication of the final rule, and light-sport aircraft certification rules become effective 365 days following the final rule publication.
“We went through over 1,300 comments in our public notice, so thank you to the industry for contributing to this rule,” said Rocheleau. “It really is a great testament to government and industry coming together to put together rules that make sense, rules that lower the bureaucracy and increase safety, because that’s what we’re all about every day. Mosaic will expand access to safe, modern, and affordable aircraft for recreation, training, and aerial work, all while upholding the highest safety standards.”