The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published a final rule accepting specific ASTM International consensus standards. This action establishes these documents as an accepted means of compliance (MOC) for issuing special airworthiness certificates for light-sport category aircraft and light-sport category kit-built aircraft. The rule, identified under Docket No. FAA-2026-6965, became effective on July 16, 2026.
The FAA accepts four new ASTM standards, each with modifications identified in the Federal Register document 2026-14298. These are F3815-26a for light sport airplanes, F3836-26 for light sport gliders, F3840-26 for light sport powered-lift and multicopter, and F3841-26 for light sport gyroplanes. Acceptance of these integration standards also includes acceptance of the underlying ASTM functional standards listed in Tables 1 through 8 of the document.
This update affects regulations under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically Part 21, which governs certification procedures for products and parts.
The FAA will maintain a current listing of all accepted MOCs for light-sport category aircraft on its Light-Sport Category Aircraft web page. Users can find the complete list and related resources at https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport.
Summary written for CheckAero from the official document. It is not legal advice; read the full text before acting.