AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2023 - 12

AOPA ACTION
TOP STOR IES /
Light sport envelope expansion
proposed at last
Changes championed by AOPA would give sport pilots
access to much of the GA fleet
THE FAA RELEASED a long-awaited rulemaking
proposal to do away with light
sport aircraft weight limits and other
restrictions on pilots who fly them,
although sport pilots will still be limited
to only one passenger at a time.
The proposal released for public review
July 19 is the product of a years-long effort
to modernize aircraft certification. The
FAA invited collaboration with pilots and
industry on the Modernization of Special
Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC) initiative,
an effort to overhaul the current
rules established in 2004 and enable certification
of new technologies that lead to
safer and more capable aircraft.
AOPA pushed hard to expand the light
sport aircraft definition, relax most current
operating limitations, and allow certain
operations for hire heretofore reserved for
certified aircraft. The FAA scheduled the
rule's publication for July 24 in the Federal
Register, which started a 90-day public comment
period.
" Modernizing the light sport category
for the thousands of our members that
fly these aircraft is something we've been
long pushing for, and it just makes sense, "
said AOPA President Mark Baker. " We're
pleased to see the FAA take this first step
to help modernize the general aviation fleet
and provide more options for pilots. "
The new rule would eliminate any
weight restriction and instead applied
limitations to performance-based criteria:
* Increase the airplane stall speed to 54
knots (currently 45 knots).
* Increase the maximum speed to 250
knots calibrated airspeed (currently
120 knots).
12
AOPA PILOT / September 2023
* Allow controllable-pitch propellers.
* Allow retractable landing gear.
The increase in stall speed will enable
increased aircraft weights for more robust
airframes, installation of safety enhancing
equipment and higher fuel capacity.
The FAA also proposes allowing sport
pilots to fly four-seat aircraft, but the current
limitation of one passenger remains
unchanged.
Pilots operating under sport pilot limitations
will be able to do so while meeting
all sport pilot requirements, to include a
valid driver's license as long as the most
recent medical was not denied and any
special issuance medical has not been withdrawn.
Sport pilots will also be able to take
advantage of controllable-pitch propellers,
retractable landing gear, and night VFR
MOSAIC highlights /
* Eliminates airframe weight
restrictions
* Increases allowable stall speeds
and airspeeds
* Allows controllable-pitch
propellers and retractable
landing gear
* Allows VFR night operations
* Approves certain commercial
operations
* Removes a specific engine
requirement
operations with appropriate training and
endorsements under the proposal.
The agency also agreed with AOPA's
request to allow sport pilots flying light
sport aircraft to perform certain commercial
operations, such as product
demonstrations for engines or other modifications.
These privileges would also
extend to experimental aircraft that have
flown at least 50 hours, provided that the
applicant has established an inspection
and maintenance program.
The agency noted that, since the 2004
rule, light sport aircraft " have shown a
lower accident rate than experimental
amateur-built airplanes. The FAA considers
that the successful safety record
of light-sport category aircraft validates
certification requirements established in
the 2004 final rule and provides support
for expanding the scope of certification
for light-sport category aircraft and
operations. "
" The FAA intends for these expansions
to increase safety by encouraging
aircraft owners, who may be deciding
between an experimental aircraft or a
light-sport category aircraft, to choose aircraft
higher on the safety continuum and,
therefore, meet higher aircraft certification
requirements, " the agency said. " This
rule would amend aircraft, pilot, maintenance,
and operational requirements to
increase both the safety and performance
of these aircraft while mitigating risk.
The FAA recognizes that this is a balancing
act-where the risk is increased due to
greater capability in one area, mitigations
may be required from the other areas. "
aopa.org/pilot/mosaic
http://www.aopa.org/pilot/mosaic
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2023
