MOSAIC Phase 2 rule creates two cost paths into sport pilot category

The FAA's MOSAIC rule entered Phase 2 on July 24, changing how the agency defines aircraft eligible for sport pilot privileges. Instead of the old 1,320-pound weight limit, eligibility now hinges on a clean stall speed threshold of 59 knots calibrated airspeed.

That shift opens the door to a large share of the existing general aviation fleet, according to the report, with estimates suggesting up to 70 percent of aircraft could qualify. Widely flown models such as the Cessna 172, Cessna 182 and Piper Cherokee/Archer variants may meet the threshold, though this depends on specific model year and configuration. Aircraft that qualify keep their standard airworthiness certificates rather than being converted to special light sport aircraft status.

Manufacturers, meanwhile, have begun building aircraft designed around the new rule from the outset. The report cites Tecnam's MOSAIK59 family and Bristell's RG and B23M lines as new-build aircraft engineered specifically to meet the 59-knot stall speed limit under Part 22 certification provisions, now in force.

Both paths lead to the same expanded sport pilot privileges, but the costs differ sharply. Used Cessna 172s, the report notes, are listed for sale at prices ranging from about $12,000 to $599,000, with a median near $129,500. Pricing for the new-build aircraft purpose-built for MOSAIC compliance was not detailed in the same terms, but the piece frames the two categories as pricing out very differently in the current market.

The rule change is aimed at broadening access to aircraft for sport pilots without altering the underlying privilege structure itself.