[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76647-76648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30993]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 236 / Thursday, December 9, 2010 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 76647]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM436; Special Conditions No. 25-10-01-SC]


Special Conditions: Boeing Model 747-8 Airplanes, Systems and 
Data Networks Security--Isolation or Protection From Unauthorized 
Passenger Domain Systems Access

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 
747-8 airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design 
features associated with connectivity of the passenger domain computer 
systems to the airplane critical systems and data networks. The 
applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for these design features. 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: Comments must be received on or before January 24, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposal may be mailed in duplicate to: 
Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-113), Docket No. NM436, 1601 Lind Avenue, 
SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; or delivered in duplicate to the 
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. All comments must 
be marked Docket No. NM436. Comments may be inspected in the Rules 
Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Will Struck, FAA, Airplane and Flight 
Crew Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 
Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-
2764; facsimile (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this 
rulemaking by submitting 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 ask that you send us two copies of written 
comments.
    We will file in the docket all comments we receive as well as a 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerning these proposed special conditions. The docket is available 
for public inspection before and after the comment closing date. If you 
wish to review the docket in person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change the 
proposed special conditions based on comments we receive.
    If you want the FAA to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this 
proposal, include with your comments a pre-addressed, stamped postcard 
on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the 
postcard and mail it back to you.

Background

    On November 4, 2005, The Boeing Company, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, WA 
98124, applied for an amendment to Type Certificate Number A20WE to 
include the new Model 747-8 passenger airplane. The Model 747-8 is a 
derivative of the 747-400. The Model 747-8 is a four-engine jet 
transport airplane that will have a maximum takeoff weight of 975,000 
pounds and new General Electric GEnx-2B67 engines. The Model 747-8 will 
have two flight crew and the capacity to carry 660 passengers.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.17, Boeing must show that the Model 747-8 (hereafter referred 
to as the 747-8) meets the applicable provisions of part 25, as amended 
by Amendments 25-1 through 25-117, except for Sec. Sec.  25.809(a) and 
25.812, which will remain at Amendment 25-115. These regulations will 
be incorporated into Type Certificate No. A20WE after type 
certification approval of the 747-8.
    In addition, the certification basis includes other regulations, 
special conditions and exemptions that are not relevant to these 
proposed special conditions. Refer to Type Certificate No. A20WE for a 
complete description of the certification basis for this model 
airplane.
    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 747-8 because of a novel or 
unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the 
provisions of Sec.  21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the 747-8 must comply with the fuel vent and exhaust 
emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the noise certification 
requirements of 14 CFR part 36.
    Special conditions, as defined in Sec.  11.19, are issued under 
Sec.  11.38, and become part of the type certification basis under 
Sec.  21.101.
    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 or similar 
novel or unusual design feature, or should any other model already 
included on the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the 
same or similar novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions 
would also apply to the other model under Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Boeing Model 747-8 airplane will incorporate the following 
novel or unusual design features: Digital systems architecture composed 
of several connected networks. The proposed network architecture would 
be used for a diverse set of functions, including:

[[Page 76648]]

    1. Flight-safety related control, communication, and navigation 
systems (Aircraft Control Domain),
    2. Airline business and administrative support (Airline Information 
Domain),
    3. Passenger information and entertainment systems (Passenger 
Entertainment Domain), and
    4. The capability to allow access to or by external network 
sources.

Discussion

    The proposed Model 747-8 integrated network configuration may allow 
increased connectivity with external network sources and will have more 
interconnected networks and systems, such as passenger entertainment 
and information services, than previous 747-8 airplane models. This may 
allow the exploitation of network security vulnerabilities and increase 
risks potentially resulting in unsafe conditions for the airplane and 
its occupants. This potential exploitation of security vulnerabilities 
may result in intentional or unintentional destruction, disruption, 
degradation, or exploitation of data and systems critical to the safety 
and maintenance of the airplane. The existing regulations and guidance 
material did not anticipate these types of 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 
and servers. Therefore, these special conditions and a means of 
compliance 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 between airplane systems and networks and the passenger 
domain.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these proposed special conditions are 
applicable to Boeing Model 747-8 airplanes. Should Boeing apply at a 
later date for a change to the type certificate to include another 
model incorporating the same novel or unusual design features, these 
proposed special conditions would apply to that model as well under the 
provisions of Sec.  21.101.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
of the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane. 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 condition as part of the type certification basis for 
the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane.

    The design must prevent all inadvertent or malicious changes to, 
and all adverse impacts upon, all systems, networks, hardware, 
software, and data in the Aircraft Control Domain and in the Airline 
Information Domain from all points within the Passenger Information 
and Entertainment Domain.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 30, 2010.

Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-30993 Filed 12-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P