MAKE CHAPTER 288 YOUR AVIATION HOME! E-AB, TYPE CERTIFIED, VINTAGE, WARBIRD, ETC.
the EAA 2025 OSHKOSH BROWN Arch WITH ChapTER 288
EAA288 TAXI-IN PICTURES - OUR MARCH 2025 EVENT
it's OFFICIAL: mosiac is now the law of the land
U.S. DOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces Improvements to Aviation Safety
MOSIAC - MODERNIZATION OF SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATION
OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rule to remove outdated regulations that have impeded innovation and safety in the growing recreational Light Sport aviation sector.
"I can’t think of a better place than at the largest general aviation airshow in the U.S. to announce that we’re unleashing American ingenuity. This new rule will promote better designs, safer materials, and upgraded technology in the recreational aviation sector," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "Our recreational pilots and plane manufacturers have correctly noted outdated regulations were inhibiting innovation and safety. No more. Let’s bring this industry into a new age!"
"This landmark rule aims to increase the availability of safe, modern, and affordable aircraft for recreational aviation, flight training, and certain aerial work," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. "It enables industry to meet the growing demand for more versatile aircraft with higher performance capabilities while maintaining high standards of safety."
"For over a decade, pilots around the country, including myself, have been advocating for MOSAIC to become a reality. This is a huge win that will fundamentally transform general aviation. It will ensure light sport aircraft are more versatile and accessible, foster innovation in the light sport aircraft category, and make it easier for more people to become pilots. That’s why I included a requirement in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 for the FAA to issue this final rule. I want to thank Secretary Duffy and Deputy Administrator Rocheleau for carrying out this requirement so promptly. I commend them for their commitment to improving our aviation system – from modernizing the air traffic control system and boosting the hiring of air traffic controllers, to moving forward with actions that are critical to general aviation in America," said U.S. Representative Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
What it does: The Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) final rule makes sweeping changes to the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and to Sport Pilot privileges, expanding a safe alternative to experimental amateur-built aircraft by:
- Removing the weight limit, which allows for more safety features and safety-design flexibility.
- Encompassing aircraft with higher speeds, more seats and retractable landing gear.
- Allowing for new types of propulsion and modern avionics.
- Allowing aerial work with LSA such as infrastructure and forest inspections, photography/filming, and agricultural surveillance.
- Allowing pilots operating under Sport Pilot privileges to fly a broader range of aircraft.
- Reducing regulatory requirements by expanding the types of aircraft that qualify as LSA and the types of aircraft pilots can fly under Sport Pilot privileges.
Background: LSAs are small, lightweight aircraft that are easy to fly. They include airplanes, gliders, powered parachutes, weight-shift-control aircraft, helicopters, gyroplanes, balloons, and airships. A pilot can operate most LSAs with a Sport Pilot certificate, which is easier to earn than a private pilot certificate but comes with more limitations.
The FAA created the LSA category and the Sport Pilot certificate in 2004 to enable the manufacture and use of safe and economical aircraft for recreation and flight training. The solid safety record of LSAs showed that the FAA could safely expand this aircraft category.
The FAA proposed the MOSAIC rule in July 2023 and evaluated more than 1,300 public comments on it. The agency made key changes based on the comments, including higher stall speeds for LSA, higher stall speed limits for Sport Pilots, and voluntary manufacturer compliance with FAA noise standards.
Next steps: Changes for sport pilots and light-sport repairmen take effect 90 days after the final rule publishes. Changes for LSA certification take effect 365 days after the final rule publishes.
If you are bored this summer here's the link to the official Federal Register publication for MOSIAC: https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/MOSAIC_Final_Rule_Issuance.pdf
Darren Pleasance NOW PRESIDENT OF AOPA
January 1, 2025, marked a special moment as Darren Pleasance became just the sixth president and CEO
He succeeds Mark Baker, who retired after leading AOPA for more than 11 years. Pleasance’s aviation and business background make him the ideal next chief executive for the association. “I’ve been lucky to have participated in almost every dimension of aviation,” said Pleasance. “I will bring that understanding and appreciation for all those dimensions into the role.”
Pleasance’s passion for aviation started not long after moving from Boston to Livermore, California, at age 13. After discovering model airplanes, he became interested in full-scale aircraft while in the Scouts, seeking to earn an aviation merit badge. His Scout leader was a flight instructor, who noticed Pleasance’s interest in airplanes and gave him his first flight lesson in a Cessna 172 at Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK). Pleasance was soon riding his bike to the Livermore airport after school to wash and help owners work on airplanes in exchange for rides. He learned early that the pilot community is generous to young people looking to break into aviation.
On his sixteenth birthday, Pleasance completed his first solo flight in a Cessna 150. He earned his private pilot certificate at age 17, his instrument rating and commercial certificate at age 18, and shortly thereafter his flight instructor certificate.
Pleasance chose to attend University of California, Santa Barbara “because it was positioned right next to the Santa Barbara airport,” he said. “It allowed me to go to school during the day and then sneak away between classes and teach lessons.” After a few months teaching primary students, Pleasance pursued his instrument instructor and multiengine instructor ratings. By age 19, he had earned all his ratings. Pleasance is still an active flight instructor, but because of time constraints he focuses primarily on instrument proficiency checks, tailwheel endorsements, and aerobatics and upset recovery training.
Initially, Pleasance intended to be an airline pilot, until a chance opportunity to fly second in command in actor John Travolta’s Hawker jet led him down a different path. He then spent a season flying bush airplanes all around Alaska before returning to California to fly corporate jets for a private equity firm. Here, Pleasance gained an early appreciation for the benefits of general aviation travel. As a corporate pilot, he learned how powerful it was to have access to an airplane that could reach multiple destinations in a single day and conduct business in ways that would not otherwise be possible. Between flights, Pleasance’s time at the firm taught him about commercial real estate and how to buy and sell companies.
Intrigued by his newfound business skills, Pleasance earned his MBA at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, and joined consulting firm McKinsey & Co, “which allowed me to work with some of the biggest companies in the world on some of the most challenging issues that they contend with,” he said. Pleasance next led global customer acquisitions for Google before joining Cisco where he advanced into more senior roles—ultimately leading Cisco’s Acceleration Center, formed to accelerate the success of Cisco’s business transformation.
Pleasance is a savvy aircraft owner who enjoys the camaraderie of ownership as much as the airplanes themselves. While he owns more than one airplane, “I have partners in all of them,” he said. “I’ve discovered that I can only fly one at a time. And it’s good for airplanes to fly. Because of that, I’ve been intentional about having at least one, sometimes a couple of partners.” Pleasance co-owns a Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey light sport amphibious airplane for landing on nearby lakes, a Van’s Aircraft RV–6 for aerobatics, and a Piper Meridian to commute for work. And he’s a member of a club that operates a North American P-51 Mustang and T-6 Texan.
Pleasance has just started to consider how AOPA’s agenda may evolve over time. “The advocacy work we do at the federal and local level is foundational to the value we provide members,” he said. “I think the work we do around safety is critical. We have to continue to be seen as an organization that stands for safety.” There are also areas of opportunity, particularly reaching communities of people who don’t know much about general aviation and wouldn’t normally find themselves at a general aviation airport. “My good friend who came from one of these communities always said, ‘You gotta see it to be it.’ And his point was so many individuals don’t even know aviation is an opportunity for them.”
Since earning his pilot certificate, Pleasance has been introducing people to general aviation. “For me, the emotion of flying is really about the views, but also the ability to experience the world in the way that most people don’t. I love sharing that with other people because they give you that energy back.” Pleasance often takes someone who’s never experienced the joy of seaplane flying to a nearby lake in his SeaRey, and occasionally gives P-51 Mustang rides to individuals who have a historical connection to the airplane or period.
Pleasance also sees general aviation—and AOPA—as central to the futures of aspiring air ambulance pilots, aerial firefighters, bush pilots, and airline pilots since most of these pilots are trained at local airports. “I’d love to have AOPA playing an even bigger role in helping more individuals out there see the breadth of opportunities that exist in aviation.”
(FROM AOPA)
THIS WAS --> EAA AIRVENTURE - 2024
Attendance
Approximately 686,000 – Highest total on record! (Previous: 677,000 - 2023).
“We had record-setting totals of campers, exhibitors, volunteers, and more. It was also a challenging year at times with weather, logistics, and other factors, which makes me even more proud of the efforts by our volunteers and staff to organize an outstanding event.”
Total Aircraft
More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 16,780 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 18-28, which is an average of approximately 113 takeoffs/landings per hour when the airport is open.
Total Showplanes
2,846 including: 1,200 vintage aircraft, 975 homebuilt aircraft, 337 warbirds, 154 ultralights and light planes, 82, aerobatic aircraft, 65 seaplanes and amphibians, 52 aerobatic aircraft, 23 rotorcraft, and 10 balloons.
Camping
More than 15,000 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for more than 40,000 visitors.
Volunteers
Nearly 6,000 contributing in excess of 250,000 hours.
Commercial exhibitors
861 (record number).
Forums, Workshops, and Presentations
More than 1,600 sessions hosted during the week at 65 venues.
Social Media, Internet and Mobile
More than 23.9 million people were reached by EAA’s social media channels during AirVenture, with engagement of 3.7 million; Total social media video views: 17 million (up 149 percent over 2023); Nearly 45,000 social media followers gained; More than 142,000 hours of viewing EAA video clips online also occurred during the event.
International guests
A total of 2,581 attendees registering at the International Visitors Tent from a record-setting 98 countries outside the U.S., a 9 percent increase over 2023. As a significant number of international visitors do not officially register at the tent when they arrive, the actual international visitor total is much higher.
The Gathering shines
The EAA Aviation Foundation’s annual event to support its aviation education programs attracted more than 1,000 people and raised a record $2.8 million dollars that will be focused on EAA’s mission of growing participation in aviation.
Media
836 media representatives on-site, from six continents.
Economic impact*
$170 million for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown). * - based on 2017 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh economic impact study
Upcoming Events
AirVenture 2025 Outlook
“We’ve already received plenty of ideas for next year and a little bit later this summer, we’ll begin reviewing what might be possible for 2025. Our annual goal is to create a gathering of people and airplanes that is found nowhere else in the world, and continue to improve the experience for EAA members and visitors.”