Definition
An FAA rulemaking initiative that updates the airworthiness rules for light-sport aircraft and the privileges of sport pilots. It expands the definition of light-sport aircraft beyond the previous narrow weight and performance limits, allowing heavier, faster, and more capable aircraft (including some retractable-gear and variable-pitch designs) to be certificated in the light-sport category, and broadens what sport pilots are permitted to fly.
Plain English
A modernized set of FAA rules that lets a wider range of small aircraft qualify as light-sport aircraft, and lets sport pilots fly more types of airplanes than before.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of light-sport aircraft, experimental aircraft, aircraft certification, and FAA rule changes affecting what aircraft may be flown under special operating limits.
Derivation
The name describes its purpose: it modernizes the special (non-standard) airworthiness certification rules. "Special airworthiness" refers to FAA airworthiness certificates issued for aircraft that don't fit the standard category, such as light-sport, experimental, and restricted-category aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
It increases what pilots can do with special-certificate aircraft without moving them into standard certification.
Intuition Check
Do not read special as meaning higher-quality or extra-approved. Here it means the aircraft is approved to fly under a specific FAA category with specific limits.
Example Sentence 1
Under MOSAIC, some four-seat aircraft that were previously off-limits to sport pilots can now be flown with a sport pilot certificate.
Example Sentence 2
Builders are reviewing the Modernization Of Special Airworthiness Certification to plan future experimental designs.