Qualification of Designated Pilot Examiners in Accordance with the MOSAIC Final Rule

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION N 8000.387

NOTICE

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Effective Date: 11/14/25 National Policy Cancellation Date: 11/14/26 SUBJ: Qualification of Designated Pilot Examiners in Accordance with the MOSAIC Final Rule 1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice provides guidance to inspectors and designees who conduct practical tests under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61 for sport pilot certificates and flight instructor certificates with a sport pilot rating. This notice contains guidance that is pertinent to the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) final rule (90 FR 35034), dated July 24, 2025.

2. Audience. The primary audience for this notice includes Designated Pilot Examiners (DPE), Specialty Aircraft Examiners (SAE), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors (ASI) with managing specialist (MS) responsibilities, and FAA personnel with oversight responsibilities of designee programs, including management, operational employees, and administrative employees, as appropriate. The secondary audience includes the Safety Standards and Foundational Business offices.

3. Where You Can Find This Notice. You can find this notice on the MyFAA employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices and the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov . Operators and the public can find this notice on the FAA’s website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices and DRS.

4. Background. Prior to the MOSAIC final rule, designees with a sport pilot examiner authorization could only conduct practical tests in light-sport aircraft, which was defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. With the MOSAIC final rule, the FAA separated the light-sport aircraft certification requirements from the sport pilot certification requirements. The MOSAIC final rule expands what aircraft sport pilots can operate. Sport pilots may, in turn, use this broader array of aircraft with expanded characteristics for practical tests leading to a sport pilot certificate or a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating.

5. Information. The MOSAIC final rule introduces the following regulatory changes, which affect designees.

a. Removal of the “Light-Sport Aircraft” Definition. The final rule removes the definition of “light-sport aircraft” from 14 CFR § 1.1. Sport pilot privileges are decoupled from the 14 CFR § 1.1 “light-sport aircraft” definition on October 22, 2025, when changes to 14 CFR part 61 sport pilot and flight instructor with a sport pilot rating become effective.

Distribution: Electronic Only Initiated By: AFS-800

11/14/25 N 8000.387 b. Expansion of the Aircraft that a Sport Pilot May Operate. The final rule creates a new 14 CFR § 61.316, which expands the performance limits and design requirements for the aircraft that sport pilots may operate. This new section adds new sport pilot operational privileges. These new sport pilot operational privileges include: (1) The removal of the weight and speed limitations formerly found in 14 CFR § 1.1.

(2) The adoption of a new maximum stalling speed or minimum steady flight speed without the use of lift-enhancing devices (V ) of not more than 59 knots Calibrated Airspeed S1 (CAS) at the aircraft’s maximum certificated takeoff weight and most critical center of gravity (CG) for airplanes. All other aircraft categories retain the maximum V of 45 knots CAS S1 formerly found in 14 CFR § 1.1.

(3) The allowance of the use of any powerplant type except turbojet.

(4) The allowance of the use of four-seat airplanes with the retention of the previous two-occupant limitation. All other aircraft categories retain the maximum seating capacity of two persons.

(5) The allowance of the operation of aircraft with retractable gear. This privilege requires additional training and endorsement.

(6) The allowance of the operation of airplanes with manual controllable pitch propellers.

This privilege requires additional training and endorsement.

c. Addition of the Rotorcraft-Helicopter Privilege. The final rule adds a new rotorcraft-helicopter privilege (only for those aircraft certificated with the simplified flight controls design and designation) for sport pilots and flight instructors with sport pilot ratings.

d. Creation of the Simplified Flight Controls Designation. The final rule creates a new, simplified flight controls designation, and specifies the required training and endorsements for pilots seeking to act as pilot in command (PIC) of those aircraft.

(1) Pilot Certification in Aircraft with Simplified Flight Controls. Pilots receiving an initial certification in an aircraft with a simplified flight controls designation will receive a limitation restricting them to that make/model simplified flight control aircraft until that pilot takes an additional practical test in an aircraft without a simplified flight controls designation of the same category and class, per 14 CFR § 61.45(h).

(2) Examiner Qualification in Aircraft with Simplified Flight Controls. Per 14 CFR § 61.45(g)(2), an examiner must hold the appropriate category and class rating or privilege, the simplified flight control model-specific aircraft endorsement, and an appropriate FAA designation to conduct practical tests in an aircraft with a simplified flight controls designation.

6. Impact of Changes on Designees. The changes introduced with the MOSAIC final rule impact DPEs and SAEs. The impacts to designees include:

11/14/25 N 8000.387 a. Sport Pilot Examiner (SPE) and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Examiner (SPFIE) Qualification in Expanded Aircraft Designs. Designees with an SPE or SPFIE authorization may be particularly affected by these changes. A designee with only an SPE or SPFIE authorization (i.e., they do not hold an airman testing authorization at the private pilot level or above) need only hold a sport pilot certificate and a sport pilot flight instructor certificate.

Previously, these designees would only have had pilot experience and testing authority in aircraft that met the 14 CFR § 1.1 light-sport aircraft definition. With the expanded aircraft performance limits and design requirements in which a sport pilot may operate per the new 14 CFR § 61.316 (see subparagraph 5b above), these SPEs/SPFIEs will now have expanded privileges as sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating. The expanded privileges will allow these SPEs/SPFIEs to conduct tests in a wider variety of aircraft with potentially increased performance and more complex designs.

b. Examiner Qualifications in Aircraft with Simplified Flight Controls. All DPEs and SAEs must be aware of the requirements to conduct a practical test in an aircraft with a simplified flight controls designation (see subparagraph 5d(2) above). DPEs and SAEs seeking testing authorization in aircraft with a simplified flight controls designation must be qualified in each make and model aircraft.

c. General Awareness. Notwithstanding the degree of personal impact to individual designees, all designees should be knowledgeable of the above changes and thoroughly understand sport pilot privileges and limitations. They must also understand the pilot qualifications to operate an aircraft with simplified flight controls designation.

7. Guidance. FAA Order 8000.95, Designee Management Policy, Volume 3, DPE, SAE, and Admin PE Designee Policy, will be revised as follows: a. Clarification of PIC Qualification. Clarification will be added that designees will need to be qualified to act as PIC prior to giving a practical test. For SPEs, they may need additional training and endorsements to act as PIC prior to giving a practical test in an aircraft that meets the requirements of 14 CFR § 61.316.

b. Replacement of the Term “Light-Sport.” All references to “light-sport” will be removed and replaced with “an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of 14 CFR § 61.316.” c. Updated Table 3-7, Specific Eligibility Requirements for Designation as an SPE.

Table 3-7 will be modified to add the rotorcraft-helicopter with simplified flight controls.

11/14/25 N 8000.387 Table 1. Updated FAA Order 8000.95, Table 3-7, Specific Eligibility Requirements for Designation as an SPE ROTORCRAFT WEIGHT HELICOPTER POWERED GYRO- BALLOON SHIFT AIRSHIP AIRPLANE GLIDER SIMPLIFIED PARACHUTE PLANE CONTROL FLIGHT CONTROLS 200 Total, 500 Total, 250 Total, 200 Total, 500 Total, 500 Total, 250 Total, 500 Total, 100 in 250 in weight 100 in powered 100 in 250 in 250 in 100 in 250 in balloons shift control, parachutes, airships airplanes that gyroplanes gliders helicopters AND in 125 in class, 60 in class, AND in meet the AND in AND in AND in the past the past AND in AND in the past provisions of the past the past 12 months: 12 months: the past the past 12 months: 14 CFR 12 months: 12 months: 20 hours in HOURS 20 hours in 12 months: 12 months: 20 hours in § 61.316, 50 hours in 10 hours in helicopters with balloons 50 hours in 25 hours in airships 125 in class, gyroplanes gliders, simplified flight ACTING AS PIC which weight shift powered AND in which controls included at parachutes the past involved aircraft least 10 flights 12 months: at least that were of at 50 hours in 10 flights least a airplanes 30-minute duration 100 in 200; 100; 100 in 200; at least 200 in 100; at least 200 in balloons at least 100 in at least 50 in airships 100 in gyroplanes 50 in gliders helicopters HOURS AS weight shift powered airplanes that A CERTIFIED control parachutes meet the FLIGHT provisions of INSTRUCTOR 14 CFR § 61.316

11/14/25 N 8000.387 d. Updated Table 3-9, DPE and SAE PIC Experience Requirements. Table 3-9 will be modified to reflect the following: Table 2. Updated FAA Order 8000.95, Table 3-9, DPE and SAE PIC Experience Requirements AIRCRAFT TYPE PIC EXPERIENCE IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS Airplane 60 hours (10 hours in each class authorized including 5 hours in type(s) authorized, if applicable) Airplane — 14 CFR § 61.316 12 hours (5 hours in each class authorized) Rotorcraft 25 hours (5 hours in each class authorized including 5 hours in type(s) authorized and 5 hours in simplified flight control, if applicable) Powered-Lift 35 hours (5 hours in each type authorized) Gliders 3 hours, which included at least 3 flights LTA—Airship 40 hours LTA—Balloon 12 hours, which included at least 3 flights Weight Shift Control 12 hours (5 hours in each class authorized) Powered Parachute 5 hours (3 hours in each class authorized) 8. Disposition. We will incorporate the information in this notice into Order 8000.95 before this notice expires. Direct questions or comments concerning the information in this notice to the General Aviation and Commercial Division (AFS-800) at 9-AFS-800-Correspondence@faa.gov.

Hugh Thomas for Lawrence Fields Executive Director, Flight Standards Service