Document ID: FAA-2013-0910-0003
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Special Conditions: Airbus Model A350-900 Airplanes; Isolation or Protection of the Aircraft Electronic System Security from Unauthorized Internal Access
Posted Date: 2014-07-25T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43239-43240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17576]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0910; Special Conditions No. 25-534-SC]

Special Conditions: Airbus Model A350-900 Airplanes; Isolation or 
Protection of the Aircraft Electronic System Security From Unauthorized 
Internal Access

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Airbus Model A350-900 
airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature 
associated with airplane 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 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: Effective Date: August 25, 2014.

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:

Background

    On August 25, 2008, Airbus applied for a type certificate for their 
new Model A350-900 airplane. Later, Airbus requested, and the FAA 
approved, an extension to the application for FAA type certification to 
November 15, 2009. The Model A350-900 airplane has a conventional 
layout with twin wing-mounted 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 airplane configuration 
accommodates 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.
    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 airplane 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 airplane because of 
a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed 
under 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, the special conditions would also apply to the 
other model under Sec.  21.101.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Model A350-900 airplane 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 must issue a 
finding of regulatory adequacy under section 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 Sec.  11.38, and they become part of the type-certification basis 
under Sec.  21.17(a)(2).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Airbus Model A350-900 airplane will incorporate the following 
novel or unusual design feature: An electronics network system 
architecture that is novel or unusual for commercial transport 
airplanes, and that introduces potential security risks and 
vulnerabilities not addressed in current regulations and airplane-level 
or system-level safety assessment methods.

Discussion

    The Airbus Model A350-900 airplane architecture is novel or unusual 
for commercial transport airplanes because it allows connection to 
previously isolated data networks connected to systems that perform 
functions required

[[Page 43240]]

for the safe operation of the airplane. This 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 airplane 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 to ensure that the security of airplane systems 
and networks is not compromised by unauthorized wired or wireless 
internal access.
    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.

Discussion of Comments

    Notice of proposed special conditions no. 25-13-20-SC for Airbus 
Model A350-900 airplanes was published in the Federal Register on 
December 17, 2013 (78 FR 76252). No comments were received, and the 
special conditions are adopted as proposed.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to 
Airbus Model A350-900 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 special conditions would apply to 
that model as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on Airbus Model A350-900 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 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 A350-900 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 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 July 9, 2014.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-17576 Filed 7-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P