Ratings & certificates

Sport Pilot vs Private Pilot After MOSAIC: Privileges, Aircraft and Medical

Source-checked Oct 16, 2026Published Oct 16, 2026By Jackson, student pilot

Quick answer. A sport pilot can carry one passenger, fly by day (or at night with added training, an endorsement and a medical or BasicMed), and fly aircraft meeting 61.316, which for airplanes means a clean stall speed (V_S1) of 59 knots CAS or less. A private pilot can fly most single-engine airplanes with as many passengers as there are seats.

What changed. The FAA's MOSAIC final rule was published July 24, 2025. Pilot certification and privilege changes took effect October 22, 2025; airworthiness certification changes (the new light-sport category limits) took effect July 24, 2026. An earlier version of this page described the old light-sport limits. FAA MOSAIC fact sheet

Keep five things separate

1. Sport pilot privileges (61.315)

No more than 1 passenger; no compensation or hire; you may share operating costs but pay at least half.
At or below 10,000 ft MSL or 2,000 ft AGL, whichever is higher; at least 3 SM visibility; visual reference to the surface.
No Class A. Class B, C, D or towered airports only with the 61.325 training and endorsement.

2. Aircraft a sport pilot may fly (61.316)

Airplanes: V_S1 ≤ 59 knots CAS at max takeoff weight and most critical CG; up to four seats in the airplane, but the passenger limit above still applies.
Non-pressurized; fixed gear and fixed/ground-adjustable/automatic prop by default.
Retractable gear or manual controllable-pitch prop require training and an endorsement under 61.331.
Faster aircraft (V_H above 87 KCAS) need the 61.327 training and endorsement.

3. Light-sport category airworthiness (an aircraft certificate, not a pilot privilege)

Since July 24, 2026, light-sport category aircraft are defined by performance rather than weight: airplanes up to a V_S0 of 61 knots, up to four occupants for airplanes, and no prescriptive weight or airspeed limit. A sport pilot can fly an aircraft that meets 61.316 whether it's light-sport category or standard category.

4. Night (61.329)

Allowed after 3 hours of night training, a night cross-country with a landing 25 nm or more away, 10 night full-stop takeoffs and landings, an instructor endorsement, and a Part 67 medical or BasicMed.

5. Medical (61.23(c))

For day sport pilot privileges, a U.S. driver's license can be used if you follow its restrictions, your most recent medical application (if any) wasn't denied, no medical certificate was suspended or revoked, and you know of no condition that makes you unable to fly safely.

Side by side

	Sport pilot	Private pilot
Minimum flight training (airplane)	20 hr (61.313)	40 hr Part 61 (61.109)
Passengers	1	Limited by seats and aircraft
Night	With 61.329 training, endorsement, medical or BasicMed	Yes (training required for the certificate)
Medical	Driver's license for day	Part 67 medical or BasicMed
Aircraft	Must meet 61.316	Any for which you hold category/class; endorsements for complex, high-performance, tailwheel

Scenario: A sport pilot holds the required endorsements and wants to fly a 4-seat airplane with a 55-knot clean stall speed, with two friends aboard. Is that allowed?Answer: No: sport pilots may carry only one passenger. Correct. The aircraft qualifies, but 61.315 limits a sport pilot to one passenger.