76252 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

part 36 and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

§ 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 § 11.38, 

and they become part of the typecertification basis under § 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 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0910; Notice No. 

25–13–20–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus, Model 

A350–900 Series Airplane; Isolation or 

Protection of the Aircraft Electronic 

System Security From Unauthorized 

Internal Access 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

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 aircraft electronic 

system security protection or isolation 

from unauthorized internal 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–2013–0910 

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 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2013 / Proposed Rules 76253 

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 wingmounted 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 

§ 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 § 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 

part 36 and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

§ 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 § 11.38, 

and they become part of the typecertification basis under § 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Feature 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

will incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design feature: an electronics 

network system architecture which is 

new and novel for commercial transport 

airplanes which introduces potential 

security risks and vulnerabilities not 

addressed in current regulations and 

aircraft-level or system-level safety 

assessment methods. 

Discussion 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

architecture is new and novel for 

commercial transport airplanes because 

it allows connection to previously 

isolated data networks connected to 

systems that perform functions required 

for the safe operation of the airplane. 

This proposed data network and design 

integration may result in security 

vulnerabilities from intentional or 

unintentional corruption of data and 

systems critical to the safety and 

maintenance of the airplane. The 

existing regulations and guidance 

material did not anticipate this type of 

system architecture or electronic access 

to aircraft systems. 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 are 

proposed to ensure that the security of 

airplane systems and networks is not 

compromised by unauthorized wired or 

wireless internal access. 

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 

related to electronic system security 

protection. 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. 

Isolation of the Airplane Electronic 

System Security Protection from 

Unauthorized Internal Access. 

■ 1. The applicant must ensure that the 

design provides isolation from, or 

airplane electronic system security 

protection against, access by 

unauthorized sources internal to the 

airplane. The design must prevent 

inadvertent and malicious changes to, 

and all adverse impacts upon, airplane 

equipment, systems, networks, or other 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
76254 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

assets required for safe flight and 

operations. 

■ 2. 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. 2013–29986 Filed 12–16–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0899; Notice No. 

25–13–15–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus, Model 

A350–900 Series Airplane; Control 

Surface Awareness and Mode 

Annunciation 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Airbus Model A350– 

900 series airplanes. These airplanes 

will have a novel or unusual design 

feature(s) associated with control 

surface awareness and mode 

annunciation provided by the electronic 

flight control system. 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–2013–0899 

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: Joe 

Jacobsen, FAA, Airplane and Flightcrew 

Interface Branch, ANM–111, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone (425) 227–2011; 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 proposed 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 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 wingmounted 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 Airbus 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. 

These proposed special conditions for 

control surface awareness, applicable to 

Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplanes, propose suitable flight control 

position annunciation and control 

system mode of operation to be 

provided to the flight crew when a flight 

condition exists in which nearly full 

surface authority (not crewcommanded) is being utilized. 

Suitability of such a display must take 

into account that some pilot-demanded 

maneuvers (e.g., rapid roll) are 

necessarily associated with intended 

full performance, which may saturate 

the surface. Therefore, simple alerting 

systems, which would function in both 

intended or unexpected control-limiting 

situations, must be properly balanced 

between needed crew awareness and 

nuisance features. A monitoring system 

that might compare airplane motion and 

surface deflection, and pilot side stick 

controller (SSC) demand could be useful 

for elimination of nuisance alerting. 

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 

§ 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 or similar novel 

or unusual design feature, the proposed 

special conditions would also apply to 

the other model under § 21.101. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS