The General Aviation Manufacturers Association says it will support the expansion of Light Sport pilot privileges to include four-seat aircraft and will also endorse an increase in “the size, performance and scope” of the aircraft covered by the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). “GAMA intends to support the MOSAIC proposal for sport pilots to be able to fly four-seat airplanes,” GAMA said in a follow-up statement to AVweb on comments included in an earlier story on the subject. “As for aircraft, we intend to support the increase in the size, performance and scope, and our comments, which are still in coordination with our members, will lay out the details of how that can be achieved.” In response to that earlier story, GAMA said its comments were “taken out of context” and did not properly reflect its overall support for the initiative.
GAMA will send its comments before the Jan. 22 deadline, as will all other aviation groups, and EAA has published a guide for members who wish to support its suggestions for the new rule, which it says will boost recreational aviation and benefit the flight training industry. EAA is urging the FAA to, among other things, allow Sport Pilot certificate holders to “fill the seats” of aircraft with up to four seats and to increase the clean stall speed of eligible aircraft from 54 knots to 57 knots to capture a much wider range of existing types.
