Originally published at: MOSAIC Expands Sport Pilot Privileges, LSA Criteria - AVweb
The long-awaited rule was greeted with optimism by most in the industry.
Great news for LSA pilots. Iffy on maintenance and inspection though. Time will tell.
I should be excited yet I’m also disappointed. You see I am an ATP helicopter with commercial mulit airplane, CFII airplane and helicopter, about 5000 hrs helicopter and 3000 airplane, I have over 2000 hrs single pilot unaided night flight. I’m caught in the catch 22. I can not qualify for a 3rd class medical so I can’t get a special in order to use Basic Med and I can’t even try or face loosing ALL privileges. So my only resort is to exercise the privileges of a sport pilot. And my medical condition that restricts me will never get better. You see I can get a drivers license in all 50 states and drive a buss size RV with 10 people in it at 90 mph passing the public by mere feet on the roads. Yet fly a 172 with 3 passengers WOW, how unsafe to the public. Yet MOSAIC will open the doors for me to once again fly a 172 (so long as I don’t fill the seats) or if I could afford it a helicopter, I should be happy. Few people understand that Sport Pilot limits are 1000ft and 3 miles visibility at the least at all times no matter the airspace and no night time no matter what ratings and experience one has. This has not changed. Sure you might say who wants to fly without basic VFR whether? Have you ever flown in 2-1/2 miles vis in haze in the summer? I can’t. I’m happy yet just as sad.
After getting a high performance and complex rating endorsement in a 182RG, my instructor said that I wouldn’t want to fly anything smaller. He was bloody right. 80 gallons of gas and the payload, was quite intoxicating. )
Great news! I’ll be interested in reading the regulations. Does one now need only a Light Sport Repairmen certificate to sign off maintenance and repair work on those aircraft that can be flown by a sport pilot?
Bob, my understanding is that the certification status for the aircraft won’t be changing. So if it’s licensed under Standard Category, it still needs an A&P for the maintenance and repair (other than the already-allowed owner maintenance items). Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft, though, will require just the Light Sport Inspection certificate to do everything, including the Condition Inspection.
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Thanks, Ron. Very helpful.
While the new Sports Pilot License allows one to now fly a safe airplane with one passenger in daytime VFR conditions, there is nothing a Private Pilot does that requires a 3rd Class Medical to do safely. IFR flying should be by endorsement and night flying require oxygen saturation monitoring with supplementation as necessary.
Like Bruce, I too have a condition that prevents me from flying the RV-14 that I built, but allows me to safely drive my RV 3 feet from you at highway speeds. Similarly I could safely fly my plane night IFR, which is a lot better than accidental flight into IMC.
The unnecessary and useless 3rd Class Medical provides no safety to the public and in fact results in pilots not getting proper medical care.
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