Document ID: FAA-2017-0023-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Special Conditions: Garmin International, Learjet, Inc., Model 35 and 36 Airplanes; Isolation of Airplane Electronic-System Security Protection from Unauthorized Internal Access
Posted Date: 2017-05-23T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23492-23494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10479]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0023; Special Conditions No. 25-677-SC]

Special Conditions: Garmin International, Learjet, Inc., Model 35 
and 36 Airplanes; Isolation of Airplane Electronic-System Security 
Protection From Unauthorized Internal 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 Garmin International 
(Garmin) for modifications to Learjet, Inc., (Learjet) Model 35 and 36 
airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Garmin, 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 incorporates the Garmin Flight Stream 
210 and GTN 6XX/7XX Navigator system into the airplanes. 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 Garmin on May 23, 2017. We must 
receive your comments by July 7, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0023 
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/,

[[Page 23493]]

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).
    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: Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and 
Flightcrew Interface, 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: The FAA has determined that notice of, and 
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is 
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay 
issuance of the design approval, and thus delivery, of the affected 
airplane.
    In addition, the substance of these special conditions has been 
subject to the public-comment process in several prior instances with 
no substantive comments received. The FAA therefore finds it 
unnecessary to delay the effective date and finds that good cause 
exists for making these special conditions effective upon publication 
in the Federal Register.
    The FAA is requesting comments to allow interested persons to 
submit views that may not have been submitted in response to the prior 
opportunities for comment described above.

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

Background

    On October 26, 2015, Garmin applied for a supplemental type 
certificate to install the Garmin Flight Stream 210 and GTN 6XX/7XX 
Navigator system in Learjet Model 35 and 36 airplanes. These airplanes, 
which are currently approved under Type Certificate No. A10CE, are 
twin-engine corporate turbojet airplanes with a maximum takeoff weight 
of 18,301 lbs., and seating for 8 passengers and 2 crew members.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Garmin must show that the Learjet Model 35 and 36 
airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the applicable provisions of 
the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. A10CE 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 Learjet Model 35 and 36 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 applicant apply for a supplemental type 
certificate to modify any other model included on the same type 
certificate 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 Learjet Model 35 and 36 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 Learjet Model 35, 35A, 36, and 36A airplanes, as modified by 
Garmin, will incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
    Installation of the Garmin Flight Stream 210 and GTN 6XX/7XX 
Navigator system into the airplanes.

Discussion

    The Garmin Flight Stream 210 and GTN 6XX/7XX Navigator system 
design, installed in Learjet Model 35 and 36 airplanes, introduces the 
potential for unauthorized persons, accessing the passenger-services 
domain, to access the airplane-control domain and airplane information-
services domain; and further may introduce security vulnerabilities 
related to the introduction of viruses, worms, user errors, and 
intentional sabotage of airplane networks, systems, and databases.
    The operating systems for current airplane systems usually are 
proprietary. Therefore, they are not as susceptible to corruption from 
worms, viruses, and other malicious actions as are more widely used 
commercial operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, because access 
to the design details of these proprietary operating systems is limited 
to the system developer and airplane integrator. Some systems installed 
on the Learjet Model 35 and 36 airplanes will use operating systems 
that are widely used and commercially available from third-party 
software suppliers. The security vulnerabilities of these operating 
systems may be more widely known than proprietary operating systems 
currently used by avionics manufacturers.
    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 
Learjet Model 35 and 36 airplanes modified by Garmin. Should Garmin 
apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate, to 
incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature for any other 
model included on the same type certificate, these special conditions 
would apply to that model as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on two models of airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability 
and affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA for approval of 
this feature on the airplanes.

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.

[[Page 23494]]

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 Learjet Model 35 and 36 airplanes 
modified by Garmin.
    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 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 airplane 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 May 17, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-10479 Filed 5-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P