[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72365-72367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25593]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1283; Special Conditions No. 25-833-SC]


Special Conditions: Airbus SAS Model A380-800 Series Airplanes; 
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 Airbus SAS (Airbus) 
Model A380-800 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 system that contains a wireless and hardwired network with 
hosted application functionality that allows access, from sources 
internal to the airplane, 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 November 25, 2022. Send 
comments on or before January 9, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2022-1283 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://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

[[Page 72366]]

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: 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) 11.35, the 
FAA will post all comments received without change to https://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 
Thuan T. Nguyen, Aircraft Information Systems, AIR-622, Technical 
Innovation Policy 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]. Comments the FAA receives, which 
are not specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public 
docket for these special conditions.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
https://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, Aircraft Information 
Systems, AIR-622, Technical Innovation Policy 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 finds, pursuant to Sec.  11.38(b), that new comments 
are unlikely, and notice and comment prior to this publication are 
unnecessary.

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. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the 
comments received.

Background

    On August 26, 2021, Airbus applied for a change to Type Certificate 
No. A58NM for the installation of a digital system that contains a 
wireless and hardwired network with hosted application functionality 
that allows access, from sources internal to the airplane, to the 
airplane's internal electronic components. The Model A380-800 series 
are transport category airplanes and are powered by four engines. The 
maximum passenger seating capacity is 868 and maximum takeoff weight is 
1,234,600 to 1,265,000 pounds, depending on the specific variant.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Airbus must show that the Model A380-800 series airplane, 
as changed, continues to meet the applicable provisions of the 
regulations listed in Type Certificate No. A58NM 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 Airbus Model A380-800 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 A380-800 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 A380-800 series airplanes will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design feature, which is the installation of 
a digital system that contains a wireless and hardwired network with 
hosted application functionality that allows access, from sources 
internal to the airplane, to the airplane's internal electronic 
components.

Discussion

    The Airbus Model A380-800 series airplane electronic system 
architecture and network configuration change is novel or unusual for 
commercial transport airplanes because it is composed of several 
connected wireless and hardwired networks. This proposed system and 
network architecture is used for a diverse set of airplane functions, 
including:
     Flight-safety related control and navigation systems;
     Airline business and administrative support; and
     Passenger entertainment.
    The airplane's control domain and airline information-services 
domain of these networks perform functions required for the safe 
operation and maintenance of the airplane. Previously,

[[Page 72367]]

these domains had very limited connectivity with other network sources. 
This network architecture creates a potential for unauthorized persons 
to access the aircraft control domain and airline information services 
domain from sources internal to the airplane, 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 airplane systems will not be compromised by 
unauthorized hardwired or wireless electronic connections from within 
the airplane. 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 
reintroduce 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 
Airbus Model A380-800 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 one model series of airplane. 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 the Airbus A380-800 series airplanes 
for airplane electronic-system 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, and 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 Kansas City, Missouri, on November 18, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-25593 Filed 11-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


