Scads of big changes, announcements, and breakthroughs were happening at Oshkosh this year during the gathering with the cute name, “AirVenture,” and I missed them all because I wasn’t there.
Absence from the big carnival in cheese-land is not a big deal for many pilots. For example, most career fliers (especially junior ones without summer vacations) miss the shindig because they are flying.
I missed the show for quite a few years when I was an airline pilot because the last thing I wanted to do during my vacation from flying a thousand hours a year in airplanes was to hang around airplanes.
No disrespect to those who are so into this thingamajig we call “aviation” that they live, drink, eat, poop in, and think of nothing else than air-planery. I share their mania (mostly), but various issues, some age-related, once again kept me out of the Badger State during one of the few non-freezing weeks there.
I never gave up my love of all things aviation, whether as a professional jet jockey or when I was no longer getting my aviation mojo from flying the 757 and part-time instructing. AirVenture was a fun outing with friends.
I’ll be back—although small fly-ins involving grass runways and free ice cream attract my old rheumy pilot eyes more often than the glitzy trade shows the alphabet groups’ super fly-ins have become.
One of the major announcements from our newly approved, former faux commercial pilot Administrator was, of course, the final approval of the MOSIAC rules. These new standards will keep old but experienced pilots like me in the air and will encourage beginning pilots to get their first taste of flying, leading hopefully to a lifelong addiction.
Throughout my career, I have undergone numerous FAA medical examinations. As a captain, you do two a year, and each one was sweated out by me and many other pilots who fly for a living. It was odd to me that after all of the tomfoolery of EKGs, eyesight tests, and whatnot, it was I, not them, who removed me from flying during my few years of medical problems.
I am still in favor of medical exams for professional pilots, especially as we expand the old age horizon of the epaulette-wearing sky geezer, but for people like me, whose mission plans include pancake breakfasts and the occasional chandelle, a driver’s license will do just fine.
One thing most pilots aren’t is stupid. Almost all of us will recognize when it is not medically safe to fly and will withdraw from flight status when necessary. Those who would have cheated would have done so anyway under the previous rules.
Aside from all of the “hey, you are in luck, they just removed the light sport weight limitation” jokes I have been hearing hurled in my direction during our weekly aviation mafia lunches, that new rule makes sense as well.
Taking on the government’s former belief that if you are an inept gomer flying along in flight, it would be better for safety if you do so in a very light and sometimes fragile airframe made no sense. If you smite the ground with a mighty blow at 2,500 pounds gross weight, it does not make more of a divot than when you were performing a light-sport death-dart approach at 1,320 pounds.
I will leave it up to all of the aviation jailhouse lawyers out there to parse every change in the rules. Other social media nabobs can hassle each other over the minutia and conflicts that are bound to happen when a sea change of attitude like this one takes place.
My takeaway from the new rules is twofold.
First, my mighty Cessna 140 has become an officially sanctioned light sport aircraft. This will have advantages when I fly it, but will also add to its value when I sell it.
Second, this may be the time to begin my pre-solo only flight school. A vintage 172 combined with a student who no longer has to schlep themselves through a flight physical, mingled with an “seasoned” flight instructor like yours truly, could be the way for them to get into flying without extreme expense or anxiety.
Next year, you may see me at various free beer bashes for the media credentialed at the big show. If I go, I plan to try to convince our current Administrator to retake the commercial written test and then take the checkride with a DPE friend I can hook him up with. I’ll work him up through the recommendation ride for free if he buys me lunch.
Then I will discuss my proposed rule, making it legal for all pilots over the age of 60 to move up the taxi conga line at AirVenture to the front for takeoff—a kind of senior discount thing.
Pure Gold Seal Instructor Stuff, Kev!
I hope he takes you up on it.
The last flight of my professional career took place in a 75000 lb corporate jet on the eve of my 71st birthday with a current 1st class medical certificate in my wallet. By that time I had decided that 1st class certificate would be my last among the three principal medical certificates and that I would simply go the basic med route. When MOSAIC looked imminent in 2023 I decided my current basic med certificate would be my last go around with the FAA, designating my driver license as my continuing ticket to flying my Cessna 120. Greed having set in across the industry delaying MOSAIC seemingly indefinitely, my basic med ran out. So at the spritely age of 75, still possessing and eminently able to execute the bush flying skills I had acquired in the 1970s for a decade of non-profit flying in central Africa, I decided I was done. With that I patted my Cessna 120 on the nose, told her she had been a wonderful airplane to me, swallowed the lump in my throat and bowed out. Whereas I used to fly other people’s airplanes, but that was for compensation and I don’t do that anymore, nor do I fly friends’ personal airplanes, I really am done. Now I tow a travel trailer behind my half ton, my wife sitting beside me and enjoy this unbelievably beautiful North American continent on which we are fortunate enough to live.
Have fun and be safe out there everyone.
Might, we’ll see. What about us folks up here in the frozen north? any light in the end of the tunnel or is that just a loc. coming our way?
Good morning Kevin. Good read and thank you! I just realized the 7GCBC in my hangar (for sale) has a much larger market thanks to MOSAIC. I wrote a pre-solo program for our Redbird sim. Even teaching spins and spin recovery to pre-solo students plus emergency returns and everything else that is not fun in an aircraft. Great opportunities here for seasoned pilots to pass along knowledge to those sprouting in the industry. God bless.
Great essay, Kevin!
IMSAFE seems to work well for me and I’ve cancelled several flights and lessons simply because I didn’t feel up to par. I’ll continue to do that as needed.
One observation on MOSAIC (if I may). I think the new rules will be a boost for general aviation… if we don’t screw it up. I’ve already heard (second hand) that one local Sport pilot has indicated that “if it has four seats, I’m going to fill 'em”. That anti-authority thinking has the potential to ruin the party for everyone.
As a somewhat veteran CFI, I called my insurance company and asked the hypothetical “What would happen if a pilot willfully violated FARs and had an incident/accident?” question. The answer was a “We would probably subrogate”. My translation was that this would NOT be a good day for the offending pilot. I also have a general feeling that the FAA would be happy to make an example or two out of pilots who disregard the MOSAIC rules. Just a feeling…
Be careful out there, folks…
John K: ref your insightful “Greed having set in across the industry delaying MOSAIC seemingly indefinitely, my basic med ran out.”. and you couldn’t legally fly your Cessna 120 anymore . This is EXACTLY why for the past ten years I have repeatedly excoriated selfserving LAMA lobbyists Dan J. and UL/trike tout Roy B. to temporarily STFU instead of distracting FAA staff working on expanding LSA weight and performance limits by insisting on incorporating SP commercial applications in general and more privileges for less qualified UL/trike instructors in particular. The net effect was years of delay just to consider and get regulatory additions of no use to 99% of the senior pilot population… changes that could’ve waited until AFTER the 1320 pound and 120 knot limits were lifted. Like you, how many thousand other Senior pilots missed out on a final few years of flying their beloved birds due to this pair’s selfishness? Better late than never, but the key elements didn’t have to be this late and those late pilots didn’t have to miss out.
By Kevin’s logic, this MOSAIC rule should have increased the weight and speed limit of Part 103 Ultralights as well for safety.
A safe ultralight kit (without the burdensome airworthiness certificate) could be the ultimate entry vehicle.
All ultralights are limited to uncongested airspace to protect the public
Bill B.
For me, MOSAIC means that I can trade me “real” airplane for something really fast coming out of Europe or South Africa that runs a Rotax with a CS prop.
I’ve heard that the Cessna 182 might qualify under MOSAIC. If that’s true, what about my Cessna 180K. I shudder at the thought of a sport pilot trying to take off in that, especially with a left cross wind.
And what’s this about a Basic Med expiring? Why not simply maintain it?
“ This will have advantages when I fly it, but will also add to its value when I sell it.”
And all other aircraft that fit under MOSAIC.
If you thought a 172 was expensive before MOSAIC, your head is about to explode.