[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3335-3337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00841]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2023-2440; Special Conditions No. 25-847-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVIII-
G700 and GVIII-G800 Series Airplanes; Electronic System Security 
Protection From Unauthorized External Access

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream 
Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 
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 associated with the installation of a digital systems 
architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from 
external network sources, (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, 
internet connectivity, service provider satellite communications, 
electronic flight bags, etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated 
electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). 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 Gulfstream on January 18, 2024. Send 
comments on or before March 4, 2024.

[[Page 3336]]


ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2023-2440 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to 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.
     Docket: Background documents or comments received may be 
read at 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 T. Nguyen, Avionics Software and 
Components Unit, AIR-626D, Technical Policy Branch, 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 finds, pursuant to 14 CFR 11.38(b), that new 
comments are unlikely, and notice and comment prior to this publication 
are unnecessary.

Privacy

    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), Sec.  11.35, the FAA will 
post all comments received without change to www.regulations.gov, 
including any personal information you provide. The FAA will also post 
a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about 
these special conditions.

Confidential Business Information

    Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial 
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by 
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), 
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to 
these special conditions contain commercial or financial information 
that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as 
private, and that is relevant or responsive to these special 
conditions, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and the indicated comments will not be 
placed in the public docket of these special conditions. Send 
submissions containing CBI to the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section above. Comments the FAA receives, which are 
not specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket 
for these special conditions.

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites 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.
    The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date for 
comments, and will consider comments filed late if it is possible to do 
so without incurring delay. The FAA may change these special conditions 
based on the comments received.

Background

    On December 31, 2019, Gulfstream applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00015AT to include the new Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-
G800 series airplanes. The Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series 
airplanes, which are derivatives of the Model GVI currently approved 
under Type Certificate No. T00015AT, are twin-engine, transport-
category airplanes, with a maximum seating for 19 passengers, and a 
maximum take-off weight of 107,600 pounds (GVIII-G700) and 105,600 
pounds (GVIII-G800).

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR), Sec.  21.101, Gulfstream must show that the Model GVIII-G700 and 
GVIII-G800 series airplanes meet the applicable provisions of the 
regulations listed in Type Certificate No. T00015AT, 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 (e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and 
GVIII-G800 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 Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series 
airplanes must comply with the 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 Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes 
will incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
    The installation of a digital systems architecture that will allow 
increased connectivity to and access from external network sources, 
(e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, internet connectivity, 
service provider satellite communications, electronic flight bags, 
etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets 
(networks, systems, and databases).

Discussion

    The Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes' 
electronic system architecture and network configuration are novel or 
unusual for commercial transport airplanes because it may allow 
increased connectivity to and access from external network sources, 
airline operations, and maintenance networks,

[[Page 3337]]

to the airplane control domain, and airline information services 
domain. The airplanes' 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. This data network and 
design integration creates a potential for unauthorized persons to 
access the airplanes' control domain and airline information-services 
domain and presents security vulnerabilities related to the 
introduction of computer viruses and worms, user errors, and 
intentional sabotage of airplane electronic assets (networks, systems, 
and databases) critical to the safety and maintenance of the airplane.
    The existing FAA regulations did not anticipate these networked 
airplane-system architectures. Furthermore, these regulations and the 
current guidance material do not address potential security 
vulnerabilities, which could be exploited by unauthorized access to 
airplane networks, data buses, and servers. Therefore, these special 
conditions ensure that the security (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, 
and availability) of the airplane's systems is not compromised by 
unauthorized wired or wireless electronic connections. This includes 
ensuring that the security of the airplane's systems is not compromised 
during maintenance of the airplane's electronic systems. These special 
conditions also require the applicant to provide appropriate 
instructions to the operator to maintain all electronic-system 
safeguards that have been implemented as part of the original network 
design so that this feature does not allow or introduce security 
threats.
    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 
Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. Should 
Gulfstream apply at a later date for a change to the type certificate 
to include another 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 apply to that model as 
well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on the Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series of 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, and 
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 Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-
G800 series airplanes for airplane electronic unauthorized external 
access.
    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 airplane 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 airplane is 
maintained, including all post-type-certification modifications that 
may have an impact on the approved electronic system-security 
safeguards.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 11, 2024.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-00841 Filed 1-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P