[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 17, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76251-76252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29985]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0909; Notice No. 25-13-17-SC]
Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane;
Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for Airbus Model A350-
900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual
design feature associated with electronic system security protection
from unauthorized external access. The applicable airworthiness
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for
this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the
additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary
to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the
existing airworthiness standards.
DATES: Send your comments on or before January 31, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0909
using any of the following methods:
Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except federal holidays.
Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without
change, to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all
comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11,
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
http://www.regulations.gov/ at any time. Follow the online instructions
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and
Flightcrew Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-1298; facsimile (425) 227-
1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by
sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments
reference a specific portion of the special conditions, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data.
We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing
date for comments. We may change these proposed special conditions
based on the comments we receive.
Background
On August 25, 2008, Airbus applied for a type certificate for their
new Model A350-900 series airplane. Later, Airbus requested and the FAA
approved an extension to the application for FAA type certification to
June 28, 2009. The Model A350-900 series has a conventional layout with
twin wing-mounted Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. It features a twin
aisle 9-abreast economy class layout, and accommodates side-by-side
placement of LD-3 containers in the cargo compartment. The basic Model
A350-900 series configuration will accommodate 315 passengers in a
standard two-class arrangement. The design cruise speed is Mach 0.85
with a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 602,000 lbs. Airbus proposes the
Model A350-900 series to be certified for extended operations (ETOPS)
beyond 180 minutes at entry into service for up to a 420-minute maximum
diversion time.
Contemporary transport category airplanes have both safety-related
and non-safety-related electronic system networks for many operational
functions. However, electronic system network security considerations
and functions have played a relatively minor role in the certification
of such systems because of the isolation, protection mechanisms, and
limited connectivity between the different networks.
Type Certification Basis
Under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, Airbus
must show that the Model A350-900 series meets the applicable
provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-
129.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the Model A350-900 series because of a
novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed
under Sec. 21.16.
Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which
they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended
later to include any other model that incorporates the same novel or
unusual design feature, the proposed special conditions would also
apply to the other model under Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and
proposed special conditions, the Model A350-900 series must comply with
the fuel vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and
the noise certification requirements of 14 CFR
[[Page 76252]]
part 36 and the FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy under
Sec. 611 of Public Law 92-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19,
under Sec. 11.38, and they become part of the type-certification basis
under Sec. 21.17(a)(2).
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The Airbus Model A350-900 series will incorporate the following
novel or unusual design feature:
The digital systems architecture for the Airbus Model A350-900
series airplanes is composed of several connected networks. This
proposed network architecture is used for a diverse set of functions,
providing data connectivity between systems, including:
1. airplane control, communication, display, monitoring and
navigation systems,
2. airline business and administrative support systems,
3. passenger entertainment systems, and
4. access by systems external to the airplane.
Discussion
The proposed Airbus Model A350-900 series architecture and network
configuration may allow increased connectivity to and access from
external network sources and airline operations and maintenance
networks to the aircraft control domain and airline information
services domain. The aircraft control domain and airline information
services domain perform functions required for the safe operation and
maintenance of the airplane. Previously these domains had very limited
connectivity with external network sources. The architecture and
network configuration may allow the exploitation of network security
vulnerabilities resulting in intentional or unintentional destruction,
disruption, degradation, or exploitation of data, systems, and networks
critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane.
The existing regulations and guidance material did not anticipate
these types of airplane system architectures. Furthermore, 14 CFR
regulations and current system safety assessment policy and techniques
do not address potential security vulnerabilities, which could be
exploited by unauthorized access to airplane networks, data buses, and
servers. Therefore, these special conditions are proposed to ensure
that the security (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability)
of airplane systems is not compromised by unauthorized wired or
wireless electronic connections.
Applicability
As discussed above, these proposed special conditions apply to
Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. Should Airbus apply later for a
change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating
the same novel or unusual design feature, the proposed special
conditions would apply to that model as well.
Conclusion
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features
on the Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. It is not a rule of
general applicability.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and Recordkeeping
requirements.
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.
The Proposed Special Conditions
Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis
for Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. Airplane Electronic System
Security Protection from Unauthorized External Access.
1. The applicant must ensure airplane electronic system security
protection from access to or by unauthorized sources external to the
airplane, including those possibly caused by maintenance activity.
2. The applicant must ensure that electronic system security
threats are identified and assessed, and that effective electronic
system security protection strategies are implemented to protect the
airplane from all adverse impacts on safety, functionality, and
continued airworthiness.
3. The applicant must establish appropriate procedures to allow the
operator to ensure that continued airworthiness of the aircraft is
maintained, including all post type certification modifications that
may have an impact on the approved electronic system security
safeguards.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 22, 2013.
Stephen P. Boyd,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-29985 Filed 12-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P