Originally published at: MOSAIC Rule Expected Tuesday - AVweb
Stall speed increase is widely anticipated.
Here is hoping the stall speed increase to 59 knots is accepted. That really opens up the field of Mosaic aircraft, including some popular training aircraft.
Correction: 58 knots not 59 knots.
So what really is the benefit for type certificated aircraft? You still need an A&P to work on it. You don’t open access to Experimental Only avionics. On the pilot side, you don’t need a medical, but Basic Med is practically that already. I suppose for those considering getting into flying, that’s one less barrier, but non-career minded pilot starts are vary scarce and this might improve it to just scarce.
I’d be much more excited about a wholesale overhaul to A&P training and an expansion of Preventative Maintenance scope with appropriate training. This would solve a very real problem today.
Basic Med assumes one has had a medical in his past .. prior to the cutoff date. I cant recall it at the moment. Mosaic isn’t geared for the professional pilot occupation. In my opinion its to get more planes to more people in a safe manner. Its for people with minor health issues theyve had under control for years but would require risking “it all” upon a failure of a 3rd class medical. Or in my case … i built my carbon fiber plane, a JMB VL3 916is, with retractable gear, constants speed prop 2X G3X, autopilot and a 750xi navigator, which “hopefully” after today will be a light sport airport that with endorsements, a sport pilot can fly with drivers license. Thats the plan! I already have the plane, nearly $400k investment, and now with 90+ hrs as a student pilot, I will learn to fly the plane I own. Just my 2 cents. Fingers crossed…
Agree - I have both Sport and PPL. Theoretically, under the new rules I could revert to my Sport license and skip Basic Med but why would I do that? Going to see your primary doctor every four years and doing the quiz on line is no burden and you would be crazy not to do it anyway. As a pilot who just wants to fly for fun, I’m part of a dwindling breed. The biggest change I would like to see is the ability to use the ridiculously cheap and totally safe avionics options created for the experimental category in old airplanes like our 150E.
I have sleep apnea and would probably fail the 3rd class medical. But I didn’t have to take that chance and I got my Sport Pilot. Others with a similar situation will now be able to get instruction, AND RENT, the typical Piper or Cessna at the local FBO. I have to drive 90 min if I want to rent a LSA, some have to drive even further. This WILL increase the pilot population from those with medical conditions, and will make it an easier start for all new pilots to get the Sport Pilot cert, then go on later if they want to go full commercial.
What they actually did is drop the proposed Vsi maximum of 54 kt and instead have mandated a maximum Vso speed of 61 kt. HUGE difference! Bottom of the white arc at 61 kt rather than the bottom of the green arc at 54, 56, 57, 58 or 59 kt.
I’m curious as to how this change will be received. By the way, sport pilots will be limited to airplanes with a maximum Vsi of 59 kt, so some LSAs will be off limits to Sport Pilots.
…but it’s not. As a mechanical heart valve recipient, who is in excellent, managed health, I would still need a Special Issuance under Basic Med. I had a medical post 2006, and have not been denied one since. I simply didn’t apply.
This gets me back flying aircraft that I’ve already flown and/or owned. Yes, I’ll miss IFR, but this is a good thing.
They made a more radical change that that - they eliminated the max Vsi requirement and substituted a max Vso requirement of 61 knots. This is like raising the Vsi to something like 70 kt give or take. I hope that some sort of explanation is offered for such a big change. Also, keep in mind that Sport Pilots will still be limited to aircraft with a Vsi of 59 kt or less regardless, so some Light Sport Aircraft appear to be ruled out for Sport Pilots.