Rule2021-14974
Special Conditions: Archeion Holdings, LLC, Boeing Model No. 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER Series Airplanes; Electronic-System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 14, 2021
Effective
July 14, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 777- 200/-200LR/-300/-300ER Series Airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Archeion Holdings, LLC (Archeion), 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 a digital systems architecture for the installation of a system with wireless network and hosted application functionality that allows access from external sources 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 132 (Wednesday, July 14, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 14, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37013-37015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14974]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2021-0582; Special Conditions No. FAA-2021-0582-F]
Special Conditions: Archeion Holdings, LLC, Boeing Model No. 777-
200/-200LR/-300/-300ER Series Airplanes; Electronic-System Security
Protection From Unauthorized External 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 the Boeing Model 777-
200/-200LR/-300/-300ER Series Airplanes. These airplanes, as modified
by Archeion Holdings, LLC (Archeion), 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 a digital systems architecture for the installation
of a system with wireless network and hosted application functionality
that allows access from external sources 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 Archeion on July 14, 2021. Send
comments on or before August 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2021-0582 using
any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/">http://www.regulations.gov/</a> and follow the online instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received
without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/">http://www.regulations.gov/</a>, including any personal
information you provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing
each substantive verbal contact received about this proposal.
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 this Notice contain
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or
responsive to this Notice, 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 this Notice. Submissions
containing CBI should be sent to Varun Khanna, Airplane and Flight Crew
Interface Section, AIR-622, Aircraft Information Systems, 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-
3159; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bee8dfcccbd090f5d6dfd0d0dffed8dfdf90d9d1c8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="03556271766d2d486b626d6d62436562622d646c75">[email protected]</span></a>. Comments the FAA receives, which are
not specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket
for this rulemaking.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov/">http://www.regulations.gov/</a> 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, Airplane and Flight Crew
Interface Section, AIR-622, Aircraft Information Systems, Technical
Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation Division, Aircraft
Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South
216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198;
[[Page 37014]]
telephone and fax 206-231-3159; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#60360112150e4e2b08010e0e01200601014e070f16"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d385b2a1a6bdfd98bbb2bdbdb293b5b2b2fdb4bca5">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 prior public notice and comment 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 July 14, 2020, Archeion applied for a change to Type Certificate
No. T00001SE for the installation of an Avionica avWIFI system with
wireless network and hosted application functionality in Boeing Model
777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER series airplanes. These airplanes, currently
approved under Type Certificate No. T00001SE, are twin-engine,
transport category airplanes, with a maximum takeoff weight between
535,000 lbs and 775,000 lbs pounds, and a maximum passenger capacity of
550 persons.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Archeion must show that the Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-
300/-300ER series airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No.
T00001SE 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 Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-
300ER 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 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 Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER 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 Feature
The Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER series airplanes will
incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
A digital systems architecture for the installation of a system
with wireless network and hosted application functionality that allows
access from external sources to the airplane's internal electronic
components.
Discussion
The digital systems architecture for the installation of an
Avionica avWIFI system with wireless network and hosted application
functionality on these Boeing model 777 airplanes is a novel or unusual
design feature for transport-category airplanes because it is composed
of several connected networks. This proposed network architecture is
used for a diverse set of airplane functions, including:
<bullet> Flight-safety related control and navigation systems.
<bullet> airline business and administrative support.
<bullet> passenger entertainment, and
<bullet> access by systems external to the airplane.
The airplane-control domain and airline information-services domain
of these networks perform functions required for the safe operation and
maintenance of the airplane. Previously, these domains had very limited
connectivity with external network sources. This network architecture
creates a potential for unauthorized persons to access the airplane-
control domain and airline information-services domain from sources
external 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 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 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 the
Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER series airplanes. Should
Archeion apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to
modify any other model included on Type Certificate No. T00001SE 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 features
on one model series of airplanes. It is not a rule of general
applicability and affects only the applicant.
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
[[Page 37015]]
conditions are issued as part of the type certification basis for
Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER series airplanes, as modified
by Archeion Holdings, LLC, for airplane electronic-system security
protection from unauthorized external access.
(a) The applicant must ensure airplane electronic-system security
protection from access by unauthorized sources external to the
airplane, including those possibly caused by maintenance activity.
(b) 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.
(c) 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 Des Moines, Washington, on July 7, 2021.
Mary A. Schooley,
Acting Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-14974 Filed 7-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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