Overview
- The FAA accepted four ASTM integration standards that the agency listed as a means of compliance and that became effective in mid‑July, and those standards will apply to light‑sport aircraft certificated on or after July 24, 2026.
- The accepted standards are ASTM F3815‑26a for airplanes, F3836‑26 for gliders, F3840‑26 for powered‑lift aircraft and F3841‑26 for gyroplanes, and each package groups detailed rules for structures, systems, flight characteristics, production quality and continued operational safety.
- The agency limited its acceptance in specific ways by approving multicopter provisions only for powered‑lift designs and by not accepting any consensus standard that would permit simplified flight‑control designations or cover light‑sport helicopters.
- FAA acceptance is a compliance decision, not approval of any model, so manufacturers must still complete design work, testing, production‑quality systems and a statement of compliance before the FAA will issue individual airworthiness certificates.
- MOSAIC replaces old prescriptive limits with performance‑based rules — removing the 1,320‑pound landplane cap and allowing up to four seats, retractable gear and broader propulsion options — a change that could let companies bring electric vertical takeoff and more capable light‑sport aircraft to private owners and small operators once specific models clear certification.