Overview
- Effective October 22, sport pilots may fly aircraft that meet a 59-knot clean stall-speed limit and may include up to four seats, though they remain limited to carrying one passenger.
- With appropriate endorsements, sport pilots can operate aircraft with retractable landing gear and controllable‑pitch propellers and may conduct night operations only with the night endorsement plus BasicMed or at least a third‑class medical.
- Daytime flight under sport-pilot privileges continues to allow a valid U.S. driver’s license in lieu of an FAA medical, provided the pilot meets the conditions of cFAR 61.53.
- Training and rental options broaden immediately, as many existing models used by flight schools—potentially including some Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee variants—may qualify if they meet the new performance and configuration criteria.
- A second phase begins July 24, 2026, introducing consensus-based certification under Part 22 for new light-sport-category aircraft, with new LSAs subject to a 250 KCAS airspeed cap.