Greetings,
It’s been a busy year so far and despite the summer heat, July was no exception. I managed to make the annual aviation pilgrimage to Oshkosh last month and, as always, it was worth the trip. Overall, it was a great show, and I was fortunate to connect with a lot of our fellow APA members during the week. Special thanks to the Recreational Aviation Foundation (The RAF) for their hospitality at their annual Tuesday morning gathering. It was great to see some old friends and meet some new ones as well. As you know the RAF is an important partner in helping APA maintain backcountry strips across Arizona. If you are a backcountry enthusiast and not already a RAF contributor, take a few minutes to go to their website to learn how you can help out - https://theraf.org.
If you have been following the aviation news over the past few weeks, you are aware that the FAA formally announced the release of the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC) rulemaking. As you may recall, the MOSAIC rulemaking makes significant changes to Sport Pilot privileges and certification of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). The rule package is lengthy (717 pages) and is available on the FAA website https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/MOSAIC_Final_Rule_Issuance.pdf.
Jim Timm will cover MOSAIC in a little more detail in his Executive Directors Report, but here’s a quick preview of some of the changes to Sport Pilot privileges:
- Driver’s license medical is maintained.
- The 1,320lb LSA gross weight limitation has been eliminated.
- Sport Pilots will be eligible to fly existing aircraft with a maximum clean stall speed of 59 knots (Vs1). This means that aircraft like the Cessna 172 (53 knot Vs1) and Piper PA-28-140 (53 knot Vs1), among others, can be flown by Sport Pilots.
- Controllable pitch and retractable landing gear allowed – with training and endorsements.
- Single passenger limitation (as with current rule)
- Night operations require a Third Class medical or BasicMed
- No IFR operations
- These changes will be effective 90 days after the rule was published in the Federal Register. The rule was published on 24 July 2025 so it will come into effect on 22 October 2025.
The new LSA certification standards are scheduled to become effective 365 days after the release of the rule in July 2026. The ASTM F37 Light Sport Aircraft committee is currently working to finalize the new LSA standards. These will include provisions for aircraft other than fixed wing including helicopters, turbine and electric propulsion, maximum speeds up to 250 knots and more. So, there are big changes coming – stay tuned!
I also wanted to revisit an issue that we covered this time last year regarding noise complaints at Cottonwood (P52). One of our members reached out recently to let us know that the city has brought on a new airport manager, Rod Propst, and revitalized the Airport Noise Working Group. It seems that the flight training activity at P52, primarily related to Embry-Riddle touch & go operations, is still generating a steady volume of noise complaints from Cottonwood and nearby Clarkdale residents. As a result, the city is evaluating options for mitigating the noise issue including implementing transient landing fees, which of course we would like to avoid. Cottonwood is favorite weekend destination for many of us, and the APA sponsors both Day Trips and Weekend Getaways to Cottonwood, so I would ask that you do your part and follow the noise abatement procedures in the Cottonwood Municipal Airport Pilot Guide when you visit P52 - https://cottonwoodaz.gov/369/Airport.
In closing this month, just a quick reminder that the next cycle of the APA Scholarship program is open with applications due 31 October 2025. If you or anyone you know is interested, please go to our website for details and on-line application link https://azpilots.org/pilot-info/scholarship-program.
Thank you for supporting APA’s mission through your membership and please feel free to reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any comments, questions or concerns.
Fly Safe,
Chris