[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66086-66088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27817]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2018-1053; Special Conditions No. 25-739-SC]


Special Conditions: Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300 
and A330-900 Series Airplanes; Electronic System Security Protection 
From Unauthorized External Access

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Airbus Model A330-
200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-900 series airplanes. These 
airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to 
the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for 
transport category airplanes. This design feature is airplane 
electronic systems and networks that allow access from external sources 
(e.g., wireless devices, internet connectivity) to the airplane's 
internal electronic components. The applicable airworthiness 
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for 
this design feature. These 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: This action is effective on Airbus on December 26, 2018. Send 
comments on or before February 11, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2018-1053 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 website, 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).
    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 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: Thuan Nguyen, Airplane and Flight Crew 
Interface Section, AIR-671, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and 
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198; 
telephone and fax 206-231-3365; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The substance of these special conditions has been published in the 
Federal Register for public comment in several prior instances with no 
substantive comments received. Therefore, the FAA has determined that 
prior public notice and comment are unnecessary, and finds that, for 
the same reason, good cause exists for adopting these special 
conditions upon publication in the Federal Register.

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.

[[Page 66087]]

    We will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for 
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments 
we receive.

Background

    On January 20, 2015, Airbus applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. A46NM to include the new Model A330-900 series 
airplane. The Airbus Model A330-900 series airplane is a derivative of 
the Model A330-300 series airplane currently approved under Type 
Certificate No. A46NM.
    On August 9, 2018, Airbus applied for a change to Type Certificate 
No. A46NM for the installation of electronic system architecture or 
Flight Operations and Maintenance Exchanger (FOMAX) equipment in Model 
A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-900 series airplanes. These 
airplanes are twin-engine, transport category airplanes with a maximum 
passenger seating capacity of 406 for the A330-200 series and a maximum 
passenger seating capacity of 440 for the A330-300 and A330-900 series 
airplanes. These airplanes have a maximum takeoff weight of 533,518 
pounds.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Airbus must show that the Model A330-900 series airplane 
and the Model A330-200, A330-200F, and A330-300 series airplanes, as 
changed, meet the applicable provisions of the regulations listed in 
Type Certificate No. A46NM, or the applicable regulations in effect on 
the date of application for the change, except for earlier amendments 
as agreed upon by the FAA.
    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 Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, 
A330-300, and A330-900 series airplanes because of a novel or unusual 
design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions 
of 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, or should any other model already included on 
the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the same novel or 
unusual design feature, these special conditions would also apply to 
the other model under Sec.  21.101.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-
900 series airplanes 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.
    The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in 
accordance with Sec.  11.38, and they become part of the type 
certification basis under Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-900 series 
airplanes will incorporate the following novel or unusual design 
feature:
    The installation and activation of electronic network system 
architecture or Flight Operations and Maintenance Exchanger (FOMAX) 
equipment that allows access from external sources (e.g., wireless 
devices, internet connectivity) to the airplane's internal electronic 
components.

Discussion

    The Airbus airplane Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-
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 the 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 to ensure 
that the security (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability) 
of airplane systems is not compromised by unauthorized wired or 
wireless electronic connections.
    These 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.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-900 series 
airplanes. Should Airbus apply at a later date for a change to the type 
certificate to include another model incorporating the same novel or 
unusual design feature, these special conditions would apply to that 
model as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, A330-300, and A330-900 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.

Authority Citation

    The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 
44704.

The Special Conditions

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the following special conditions are issued as part of 
the type certification basis for Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200F, 
A330-300, and A330-900 series airplanes.
    1. The applicant must ensure that the airplane electronic systems 
are protected from access 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.


[[Page 66088]]


    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on December 12, 2018.
Victor Wicklund,
Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27817 Filed 12-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P