New Era In Recreational Aviation Begins October 22, 2025

The general aviation community is eagerly anticipating the date that marks the beginning of a new era for many pilots: October 22, 2025. That is when the long-awaited Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification – MOSAIC – final rule takes effect, and it will have a profound influence on many aspects of general aviation but perhaps most especially sport pilots.

The Experimental Aircraft Association is naturally getting its members, followers, and enthusiasts ready for the day with a series of publications on its website, as a large portion of its community are pilots that will benefit in one way or another from the new rules.

For sport pilots, which number over 7,000 holding the certificate, they will now be able to fly a new set of different aircraft makes and models. No longer limited to the ‘light sport’ aircraft as defined in the old rule, they will now be able to access most of the current general aviation training aircraft available at most local airports.

The rule eliminates the weight limit that restricted sport pilots to a max takeoff weight of 1,320 pounds. Instead of a weight restriction, sport pilots will now be able to fly any aircraft with a clean stall speed (Vs1) of 59 knots or less and also the two-seat limit has gone up to four, albeit still with just one passenger.

The list of such aircraft is not short! It includes the Cessna 150, 152, 172, and many 182s, many Piper Cherokees and Archers, and many legacy vintage aircraft like Luscombes and older Bonanzas.

EAA recommends sport pilots to get scheduling training flights and aircraft checkouts with local flight schools and instructors so they are proficient to fly as soon as the rule takes effect.

We’ll continue to highlight sections of the new rules as the date as we continue the countdown to the New Era date so stay tuned!

FMI:  www.eaa.org/