[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