The FAA on September 14 released an alignment bringing the testing standards for the sport pilot certificate into the new regulatory structure outlined with the passing of the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC).
It also collects the three updated sport pilot practical test standards (PTS) through incorporation by reference. In plain English, that means certain content is not repeated in the new standards, but the reference to the source document is included instead. Specifically, those PTSs include: Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Rating PTS for Airplane Category, Rotorcraft Category, and Glider Category (FAA-S-8081-29A); Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor Rating PTS for Lighter-Than-Air Category (FAA-S-8081-30A); and Sport Pilot and Sport Pilot Flight Instructor PTS for Powered Parachute Category, Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft Category (FAA-S-8081-31A).
The update addresses conflicts in the language in the PTS induced by the passing of MOSAIC rules, which substantially changed how and what aircraft sport pilots could fly. One of the major changes was to replace references to “light-sport aircraft” with “aircraft” to encompass aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements in new section of Part 61, 14 CFR 61.316. The previous definition of “light sport aircraft” in section 1.1 was removed by the MOSAIC final rule, which went into effect on July 24, 2026—as well as future light-sport category aircraft, also explained under the MOSAIC final rule.
Another change amended the recovery altitude that prospective sport pilots and CFIs would demonstrate under the Sport Pilot Rating PTS for Airplane Category, Rotorcraft Category Gyroplane, and Glider Category (FAA-S-8081-29B) from 1,000 to 1,500 feet AGL for stalls and slow flight tasks.
Hello, it looks to me that these changes are in regard to the Sport PTS rather than than the ACS, which AFAIK is still a work in progress. I would like some clarification on this point, if possible.