• New or future pilots

  For new or future pilots, Sport Pilot 2.0 lowers the barriers for participation in recreational aviation. Simply put, learning to fly for half the cost, in half the time, and all the fun becomes more widely accessible.

  Make flying simpler and easier to start AND finish: Sport pilot certificates can be obtained more quickly than private pilot certificates. Those expanded opportunities for sport pilots to complete their training make it a more streamlined entry point for those wanting to learn how to fly.

  • Sport Pilot 2.0 will halve the number of hours it takes to achieve a pilot’s certificate, thus reducing the cost and initial investment
  • The stepping-stone approach of allowing for additional privileges after obtaining a sport pilot certificate (through endorsements) reduces the initial length of training

  Lower the cost to achieve your dream to fly - Expands the choices of lower-cost training, flight schools, and rental aircraft.

  Increase accessibility of the aviation lifestyle – Changes to the light-sport category significantly expand the number of aircraft that meet the sport pilot definition, increasing the utility, safety, and availability of aircraft. This helps grow recreational aviation and creates more opportunities in aviation.

  • Quickest and least complicated way to earn a pilot’s certificate for those seeking to fly for recreation or personal transportation
  • Broader availability of aircraft with more utility for sport pilots
  • Eliminate the expense, uncertainty, and time of getting a medical certificate
  • A pilot certificate is good for life–come back to flying at any time with a flight review by an instructor

• Current private pilot

  As a current private pilot, Sport Pilot 2.0 makes it more attractive to access the privileges of a now more robust Sport Pilot certificate

  Fly many existing airplanes instantly with a driver’s license as your medical - Under the new rule, sport pilots are able to fly aircraft with up four seats, a “clean” stall speed (VS1) of 59 knots calibrated or less, and a maximum level flight speed (VH) of 250 knots calibrated. A specific weight is not part of the regulatory definition. These changes allow more aircraft to be eligible to be flown by a sport pilot or someone exercising sport pilot privileges.

  • Avoid the uncertainty, hassle, and potential expense of dealing with the current medical processes (including a one-time special issuance for BasicMed) with the simplicity of using a driver’s license as your medical certificate.
  • Sport pilot now means more choice of aircraft including the most popular existing models – allowing you to continue to flying the aircraft of your choice as a sport pilot.
  • The process to switch to exercising sport pilot privileges as a private pilot or higher is simple. You can exercise sport pilot privileges under your existing pilot’s certificate beginning October 22, 2025, without any additional paperwork or checkrides. Simply familiarize yourself with sport pilot privileges and fly accordingly.
  • Expands the potential for new aircraft entering the market and expands the options of various categories providing more choices and greater flexibility to aircraft owners (i.e. E-LSA) including ready to fly and almost ready to fly aircraft.

• Current sport pilot

  Sport Pilot 2.0 brings exciting new and expanded opportunities for those who are current sport pilots.

  Expand choice of existing and new aircraft to fly - No more 1,320-pound weight limit for light-sport aircraft, providing access to a wider range of aircraft for sport pilot flying, including the Cessna 150, 152, 172, 182s, and many models of legacy Piper aircraft.

  • Expands the potential for new aircraft entering the market, and expands the options of various categories providing more choices and greater flexibility to aircraft owners (i.e. E-LSA) including ready to fly and almost ready to fly aircraft
  • Provides an easier transition and more standardization between training aircraft, rental aircraft, and potential ownership
  • Availability of more sport pilot eligible rental aircraft at local flight schools/FBOs

  Extend pilot privileges to activities such as night flying – Sport pilots are permitted to fly at night with the proper endorsements. This is limited to sport pilots holding an FAA third-class medical certificate (or higher) or BasicMed.

  Operate higher performing and more capable aircraft - With proper endorsements, sport pilots are able to fly aircraft with retractable landing gear and manually controllable pitch propellers, thus providing more utility and expanded options for personal transportation.

• CFI or flight school

  Changes to Sport Pilot 2.0 provides a significant, positive shift in the flight training universe by paving the way for more affordable training options, new engagement opportunities, and long-term customer relationships, positively impacting flight schools and CFIs.

  Enhance your current fleet’s utility with more attractive flight training options - Changing the aircraft that can be flown by sport pilots or those excercising sport pilot privledges from an arbitrary weight to performance-based metrics allows for larger and more capable aircraft. This permits a wider range of students and instructors to fly them, significantly increasing access to flight training. This gives flight schools more opportunities to increase utilization of their existing aircraft and refresh their fleets.

  • There’s no new investment needed – flight schools can use their existing aircraft
  • Avoid the 80% dropout rate experienced by most flight schools today – fewer required hours means a higher completion rate, and more overall revenue
  • S-LSA and E-LSA provide exciting new opportunities for training, rental, and aircraft sales

  Increase student completion rate, equating to more ongoing business – With more flight training aircraft available, the opportunities flight schools have within their sport pilot training operations can grow. A more robust sport pilot program utilizing existing and new fleets of aircraft, as well as more flight instructors can increase the overall number of students and completion rates, leading to a more successful business!

  • Stepping-stone to other certificates
  • New price point expands the market
  • Current fleet immediately available
  • Creates a clear path for those looking to fly for recreation
  • Develops a long-term customer that will stay in your market

  Develop and utilize more CFIs (Sport Pilot CFIs – Sport Pilot 2.0 creates a path for experienced private pilots and sport pilots to become sport pilot instructors, providing FBOs with additional revenue streams and additional instructor resources that can provide a long-term instructor base to supplement traditional CFIs.

  • CFI-SPs are generally instructional certificates for pilots who are enthusiasts rather than on a professional career track
  • CFI-SPs are a more stable workforce and have more experience
  • Opportunity to grow CFI base
  • Retention – not part of the airline career path
  • Lower barrier to entry for existing pilots to become instructors - more attainable and affordable (insurance via a flight school, no commercial or instrument rating required)
  • Availability for checkouts, Sport Pilot flight reviews, endorsements
  • Sport Pilot CFI creates an opportunity that is not a high-investment career path
• Aircraft Owners

  Sport Pilot 2.0 provides aircraft owners with new and exciting makes and models including different production models of experimental amateur-built aircraft.

  • Provides a pathway for future electric, hybrid, distributed power, and other new propulsion technologies – Sport Pilot 2.0 enables innovation by removing the restriction that powered LSAs must have a reciprocating engine.
  • Opens the door to new makes and models of S-LSAs, enabling S-LSA manufacturers to design larger, more capable aircraft under industry consensus standards.
  • Expands the potential for new E-LSAs entering the market, expanding the options of various categories providing more choices and greater flexibility to aircraft owners, including ready to fly and almost ready to fly aircraft.
  • Changes allow Light Sport Repairman who hold an Inspection rating (LSRI) to conduct annual condition inspections on any Experimental Amateur-Built Aircraft that they own (requiring at least a two-day course)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I read the rule?

  The final rule, including the preamble and supporting documentation, can be found here. After October 22nd the new rule language will be incorporated into relevant parts of the “FARs” (Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations) on all up-to-date online and print sources.

• When does this take effect?

  Sport pilot privileges will take effect October 22nd 2025, 90 days after published in the Federal Register. Aircraft standards will take effect July 24th, 2026, 365 days after published to allow for time for development of ASTM standards and FAA policy.

• What is the “clean” stall speed specified by the rule?

  The rule, 61.316(a)(1), specifies “A maximum stalling speed or minimum steady flight speed without the use of lift-enhancing devices (VS1) […] of not more than 59 knots CAS at the aircraft's maximum certificated takeoff weight and most critical center of gravity.”

• What if my aircraft does not have a documented stall speed?

  The bottom of the green arc on your airspeed indicator (or equivalent for non-standard markings) should be your VS1 speed. Otherwise, the preamble of the rule recommends following the stall testing procedure specified in Advisory Circular 90-89C, Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Handbook. EAA’s Flight Test Manual also includes a stall testing procedure.

• Can I fly as a sport pilot if my medical has been deferred or denied?

  No. Your most recent medical application must have been successful. Specifically, 14 CFR 61.23(c)(2) says [a pilot exercising sport pilot privileges must]:

  (i) Comply with each restriction and limitation imposed by that person's U.S. driver's license and any judicial or administrative order applying to the operation of a motor vehicle;

  (ii) Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application (if the person has applied for a medical certificate);

  (iii) Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn; and

  (iv) Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.

• Is a Cessna 172 an LSA?

  No. The term “Light-Sport Aircraft” now only refers to aircraft certification rules for aircraft designed and built to meet the requirements of the category. A Cessna 172 remains a Standard-Category aircraft, subject to traditional requirements on maintenance and modification. Newly-built 172s also remain Standard-Category aircraft, as they are still built to the existing type certificate (although Cessna could theoretically choose to offer a version of the 172 as an S-LSA as some point in the future).

  Instead, a Cessna 172 is a “Sport Pilot Eligible Aircraft.” It meets all criteria for Sport Pilot eligibility, although a Sport Pilot may only carry one passenger.

• How does this affect maintenance of legacy aircraft?

  The MOSAIC final rule does not change how legacy certified aircraft are certified or maintained. While early discussions of MOSAIC did include a category for legacy aircraft to be re-certified for easier maintenance and modification, this proposal ultimately was not included in the 2023 proposed rule or the 2025 final rule. However, the changes brought by this new rule have led to further discussion of the legacy fleet’s maintainability and EAA is actively working on this important issue.

• Can a private pilot continue to fly an aircraft that stalls faster than 59 knots, or has more than 4 seats?

  Yes. Private pilot certificates and privileges experience no change with this rule.

• Do private pilots have any special privileges vs sport pilots when operating under a driver's license medical?

  No. If a private pilot wishes to exercise sport pilot privileges with a driver’s license medical, the regulations treat them no differently than a sport pilot, without any additional privileges.

  That said, the rule credits private pilots for their previous training. A private pilot does not need the endorsements that sport pilots require for towered airport operations or flying an aircraft with a VH higher than 87 knots. Additionally, if they have a complex endorsement, this counts for the sport pilot endorsements for retractable landing gear and manually-controllable pitch (“blue knob”) propellers.

• How can I fly at night as a sport pilot?

  Yes, but you must have a current FAA medical certificate (3rd Class or higher) or BasicMed, and have proper training and endorsements to fly at night.

• I am currently a sport pilot; how do I utilize my new privileges?

  On October 22nd, you can fly any aircraft that fits into the new specifications. Depending on the aircraft you may need additional training and endorsements. HOWEVER, all pilots are strongly encouraged to obtain proper training and proficiency before acting as pilot in command of any aircraft. The same advice applies to any pilot of any certificate type.

• How do my privileges change as a current sport pilot CFI?

  Your instructor privileges expand with your PIC privileges as a sport pilot. Sport pilot CFIs who hold the proper medical certification, training, and endorsement may instruct at night under the new rules. Instructors with the appropriate training and endorsements to fly with retractable landing gear and manually-controllable pitch propellers may also instruct in these aircraft and provide the same endorsements to students.

• If I have taken an E-LSA repairmen course, do I need to take another to be able to do annual inspections on E-AB

  No, you do not need to take another course. The repairmen certificate you earned is applicable to airplanes certificated as Experimental Light Sport and Experimental Amateur Built (from plans or a kit). You may need additional training if you are unfamiliar with E-AB

• Can I get an instrument rating as a Sport Pilot?

  No. You also may not exercise the privileges of an instrument rating when flying under Sport Pilot Privileges.

• Can I conduct “aerial work” as a Sport Pilot for compensation or hire?

  No. “Aerial Work” is a feature of the aircraft certification rule for new S-LSAs, allowing these aircraft to be used for certain commercial operations with the support of the manufacturer. The pilot will need to be appropriately-rated, usually requiring at least a commercial pilot certificate.

• Will insurance companies accept Sport Pilot 2.0?

  We cannot speak for insurance companies. They will set their rates and policies relative to the assessed risk. However, we have been through the rollout of the 2004 Sport Pilot rule and BasicMed, and insurance companies have generally been willing to insure pilots operating under these rules.