Rule2021-14975
Special Conditions: Archeion Holdings, LLC, Boeing Model No. 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER Series Airplanes; Electronic-System Security Protection From Unauthorized Internal Access
Primary source
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Published
July 14, 2021
Effective
July 14, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model No. 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 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.
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 37015-37017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14975]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-FAA-2021-0583; Special Conditions No. FAA-2021-0583-F]
Special Conditions: Archeion Holdings, LLC, Boeing Model No. 777-
200/-200LR/-300/-300ER 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 the Boeing Model No.
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 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 Archeion on July 14, 2021. Send
comments on or before August 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2021-0583 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#4e182f3c3b206005262f20202f0e282f2f60292138"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e8be899a9d86c6a38089868689a88e8989c68f879e">[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; telephone and fax 206-231-
3159; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6f390e1d1a014124070e01010e2f090e0e41080019"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="61370013140f4f2a09000f0f00210700004f060e17">[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.
[[Page 37016]]
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 sources internal to the airplane, 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, and
<bullet> passenger entertainment.
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 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 wired 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 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 feature
on Boeing Model 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER series 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 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
internal access.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
[[Page 37017]]
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. 2021-14975 Filed 7-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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