What’s changing for CFIs under MOSAIC?

Under the new rules, CFIs with an expired, but not denied or revoked, medical certificate can provide primary instruction for sport pilot students in any aircraft that sport pilots are now eligible to fly. As of October 22, that list is much longer and includes everything from a Van’s RV–12, which was already eligible, to a Cessna 182 or Piper Cherokee. Instructors without a medical may provide most of the endorsements now available to sport pilots, including flying a complex aircraft. However, to issue a night endorsement, instructors must have a valid medical certificate or BasicMed—the same restriction that applies to sport pilots who can fly by day without a medical certificate or BasicMed but need one of the two to fly at night.

Regardless of their certificate level, if instructing sport pilot applicants without a medical, both pilots must adhere to sport pilot limitations. That includes staying below 10,000 feet msl and operating only under visual flight rules. In addition, even though they can fly without a valid medical certificate or BasicMed, instructors must not have had their most recent medical application denied or revoked, or had a special issuance withdrawn.

CFIs without a valid medical certificate have long been able to provide instruction—but only when they’re not acting as pilot in command (PIC) or as a required crewmember.

That means CFIs without a medical certificate or BasicMed still cannot provide instruction to private pilot students, nor can they provide instrument instruction involving time “under the hood.” They are limited to instructing pilots who can act as PIC for the entire flight, such as commercial pilot and CFI applicants.