FAA MOSAIC opens door to eVTOLs, electric trainers, and next-gen Light Sport Aircraft
July 23, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalised its long-awaited MOSAIC rule, a sweeping reform of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) regulations that aims to modernise recreational flying, improve safety, and unlock new technologies.
Announced at EAA AirVenture by US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, the rule removes long-standing restrictions and opens the door to faster, heavier, and more complex aircraft, including electric and eVTOL designs.
Addressing the crowd, Secretary Duffy noted that the current administration, alongside the President, had pledged to modernise aviation safety and efficiency.
“Today, we are making good on that promise,” he said. “We have finalised a major reform designed to make recreational flying safer, more accessible, and far less encumbered by red tape. That has been our mission with MOSAIC.”
For over two decades, the rules governing Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) and Sport Pilot privileges have remained largely unchanged.
Under the MOSAIC rule, the category of Light Sport Aircraft will be thoroughly shaken up. Weight limit removals, increased speed allowance and more seats onboard are just the start.
Duffy observed that “too long, our rules have been outdated, holding back our pilots, builders, and innovators.” He emphasised that the weight limits on LSAs, in particular, had become restrictive.
“We’re removing outdated weight limits, allowing properly certified pilots to fly a wider range of aircraft, including for some aerial work,” Duffy said. “This reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens while keeping safety front and centre.”
What is the FAA MOSAIC rule, and what changes for Light Sport Aircraft?
Since the category’s introduction in 2004, the Light Sport Aircraft category has been designed to promote recreational flying, giving access to new aviators through the Sport Pilot License (SPL).
Cheaper to obtain, completed in weeks and with no FAA medical, the SPL has proved popular with hobbyists and those taking their first steps into aviation. But pilots have been limited in their choice of aircraft, and when and how they fly.
Under MOSAIC, Light Sport Aircraft will now be:
- Heavier: The 1,320 lb weight limit will be replaced with performance-based criteria
- Faster: LSAs will now be able to fly at up to 250 knots
- Bigger: Fixed-wing aircraft can now have up to four seats, although SPL qualifications still only allow for one passenger to be carried
- Different: More types will be included in the LSA category: helicopters, powered-lift, gyrocopters and electric aircraft
Technologies including retractable landing gear and constant speed propellers are now allowed, as are advanced avionics and composite structures. Clearing up a regulatory grey area, electric and hybrid propulsion are now officially allowed too.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford highlighted that the rule is expected to foster safer, more capable, and affordable aircraft across recreational, training, and utility segments.
“The rule supports the increasing demand for light aircraft with enhanced performance capabilities while maintaining robust safety standards,” he said.
The scope of permitted activities has expanded to include light aerial work such as agricultural monitoring, infrastructure inspections, and photography.
How the FAA MOSAIC changes will benefit Sport Pilots
With the significant expansion of the LSA category, Sport Pilots will now have a wider range of aircraft to choose from. But that’s not the only benefit to come out of the MOSAIC rule.
SPL holders will now be permitted to fly at night with the appropriate training and can perform limited aerial work. This includes activities like photography, infrastructure inspection and agricultural monitoring.
SPL training will be updated to reflect the expanded capabilities. This will include training related to complex aircraft systems, controlled airspace access training and expanded emergency procedures.
There won’t be any mandatory training for existing SPL holders, but those pilots will be restricted to current privileges. New privileges can be accessed with additional training and instructor endorsements, rather than formal checkrides.
As well as the Sport Pilot changes, the existing Light-Sport Repairman Certificate is being revised to better reflect the increasing technical sophistication of LSAs. An element of this will see the curriculum updated to include electric and hybrid propulsion systems, composite structures, and digital avionics.
When will the MOSAIC rule take effect?
New FAA rules like this become official upon publication in the Federal Register. This usually happens around a week after the FAA Administrator signs the rule, which took place on 18 July.
The effective date of the Sport Pilot and Repairman changes will be 90 days later, so likely in late October. The broader aircraft certification changes will follow a year from now.
The MOSAIC rule opens the door to eVTOL and AAM
This landmark rule signifies a broader shift toward flexibility and modernisation in aviation regulation, reflecting the increasing adoption of new technologies such as electric propulsion, digital avionics, and composite materials.
The shift to performance-based criteria and allowance of alternative propulsion permits electric and hybrid trainers and recreational craft to gain S-LSA factory-built certification, rather than experimental-only.
With weight, gear, and propulsion limitations removed, designers are free to incorporate ballistic parachutes, composites, safety systems, and larger cabins into LSA aircraft, closing the gap between LSA and general aviation.
Arguably the greatest beneficiary, however, is advanced air mobility (AAM). MOSAIC officially includes powered-lift (eVTOL) and helicopters in the LSA category. By treating eVTOLs as sport aircraft, the FAA is giving startups a shorter, less costly path than traditional Part 23 type certification.
The removal of weight limitations will also benefit electric aircraft, which have to bear the weight of heavy battery assemblies.
Importantly, the LSA trainer fleet enabled by MOSAIC, including electric and four-seat options, provides a bridge to pilot development needed for future eVTOL and rotorcraft industries.
By aligning regulatory standards with technological advances and evolving pilot needs, the FAA is signalling a future-ready approach to recreational and training aviation
