Rule2024-10498
Special Conditions: Aerospace Design & Compliance, LLC (ADC), Textron Aviation Inc. Model 550, 560, and 560XL Airplane; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
Primary source
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Published
May 22, 2024
Effective
May 22, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
These special conditions are issued for the Textron Aviation, Inc. (Textron) 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series airplanes as modified by Aerospace Design & Compliance, LLC (ADC). This airplane 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 the installation of an electronic networks system architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from external network sources to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). 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 89 Issue 100 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 22, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44911-44913]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10498]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 22, 2024 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 44911]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2024-0722; Special Conditions No. 25-864-SC]
Special Conditions: Aerospace Design & Compliance, LLC (ADC),
Textron Aviation Inc. Model 550, 560, and 560XL Airplane; Electronic
System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Textron Aviation,
Inc. (Textron) 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel)
series airplanes as modified by Aerospace Design & Compliance, LLC
(ADC). This airplane 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 the
installation of an electronic networks system architecture that will
allow increased connectivity to and access from external network
sources to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets
(networks, systems, and databases). 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 ADC on May 22, 2024. Send comments
on or before July 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2024-0722 using
any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://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.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">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: Thuan T. Nguyen, Avionics Software &
Components Unit, AIR-626D, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and
Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198);
telephone and fax 206-231-3365; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#17437f6276793943395970626e72795771767639707861"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="45112d30242b6b116b0b22303c202b052324246b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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.
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 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, 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 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 the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above. Comments the FAA receives, which are
not specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket
for these special conditions.
Background
On September 2, 2022, ADC applied for a supplemental type
certificate (STC) for the installation of an electronic networks system
architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from
external network sources (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices,
internet connectivity, service provider satellite communications,
electronic flight bags, etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated
electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). The Textron Model
550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series airplane is a
two-engine transport category airplane currently approved under Type
Certificate No. A22CE. The maximum seating capacity for the Model 550
(Bravo) is 11 passengers and 2 crew members. The maximum takeoff weight
is 14,800
[[Page 44912]]
pounds. The seating capacity for the Model 560 (Ultra Encore) is 11
passengers and 2 crew members. The maximum takeoff weight is 16,630
pounds. The seating capacity for the Model 560XL (Excel) is 12
passengers and 2 crew members. The maximum takeoff weight is 20,200
pounds.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, ADC must show that the Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560
(Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel), as changed, continues to meet the
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No.
A22CE 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 Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560
(Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) airplane 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 Textron Aviation Inc. Model 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra
Encore), and 560XL (Excel) airplane must comply with the 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 STC requested by ADC for the Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560
(Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series airplane will incorporate the
following novel or unusual design feature: the installation of an
electronic networks system architecture that will allow increased
connectivity to and access from external network sources, (e.g.,
operator networks, wireless devices, internet connectivity, service
provider satellite communications, electronic flight bags, etc.) to the
airplane's previously isolated electronic assets (networks, systems,
and databases).
Discussion
The Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL
(Excel) series airplane system architecture and network configuration
change proposed by ADC is novel or unusual for transport category
airplanes because it may allow increased connectivity to and access
from external network sources, airline operations, and maintenance
networks, to the airplane-control domain and the airline information-
services domain.
The airplane's control domain and airline information-services
domain perform functions required for the safe operation and
maintenance of the airplane. Previously, these domains had very limited
connectivity with external network sources. This data network and
design integration creates a potential for unauthorized persons to
access the airplane-control domain and airline information-services
domain 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 applicable 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 the airplane's systems is not 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 introduce 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
Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series
airplane as proposed to be modified by ADC. Should ADC apply at a later
date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any other model
included on Type Certificate No. A22CE 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
of ADC's proposed STC for the Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra
Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series of airplane. It is not a rule of
general applicability and affects only the applicant who applied to the
FAA for approval of that feature on the airplane.
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, and
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 Textron Model 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra
Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series airplanes, as modified by ADC.
1. 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.
2. The applicant must ensure that electronic system security
threats are identified and assessed, and that effective electronic
network system security protection strategies are implemented to
protect the airplane from all adverse impacts on safety, functionality,
and continued airworthiness.
3. 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 network system security
safeguards.
[[Page 44913]]
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 9, 2024.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-10498 Filed 5-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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