82 FR 14125 - Special Conditions: Textron Aviation Inc. Model 700 Airplane; Airplane Electronic-System Security Protection From Unauthorized External Access

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 51 (March 17, 2017)

These special conditions are issued for the Textron Aviation Inc. (Textron) Model 700 airplane. 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 airplane electronic systems and networks that allow access from external sources (e.g., wireless devices, Internet connectivity) 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.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14125-14126]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05332]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2016-9297; Special Conditions No. 25-648-SC]


Special Conditions: Textron Aviation Inc. Model 700 Airplane; 
Airplane 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 Textron Aviation 
Inc. (Textron) Model 700 airplane. 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 airplane electronic systems and 
networks that allow access from external sources (e.g., wireless 
devices, Internet connectivity) 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 Textron on March 17, 2017. We must 
receive your comments by May 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2016-9297 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://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 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: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal 
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the 
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all 
comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the 
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/ gov/.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://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: Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and 
Flightcrew Interface, 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: The FAA has determined that notice of, and 
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is 
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay 
issuance of the design approval, and thus delivery, of the affected 
airplane.
    In addition, the substance of these special conditions has been 
subject to the public-comment process in several prior instances with 
no substantive comments received. The FAA therefore finds that good 
cause exists for making these special conditions effective upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

Comments Invited

    We invite 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.
    We will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for 
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments 
we receive.

Background

    On November 20, 2014, Textron applied for a type certificate for 
their new Model 700 airplane. The Textron Model 700 airplane is a twin-
engine, transport-category executive airplane with seating for 2 
crewmembers and 12 passengers, and a maximum takeoff weight of 38,514 
lbs.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.17, Textron must show that the Model 700 airplane meets the 
applicable provisions of part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 
25-139, 25-141, and 25-143.
    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 Textron Model 700 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 type certificate for that model be amended 
later to include any other model that incorporates 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 Model 700 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 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.  21.17(a)(2).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Textron Model 700 airplane will incorporate the following novel 
or unusual design feature: A digital-systems network architecture 
composed of several connected networks. This network architecture and 
network configuration will have the capability to allow access to or by 
external network sources, and may be used for or

[[Page 14126]]

interfaced with a diverse set of functions, including:
     Flight-safety-related control, communication, and 
navigation systems (airplane-control domain);
     Operator business and administrative support (operator-
information domain); and
     Passenger information and entertainment systems 
(passenger-entertainment domain).

Discussion

    The Textron Model 700 airplane allows connection to airplane 
electronic systems and networks, and access from airplane external 
sources (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, Internet 
connectivity, service-provider satellite communications, electronic 
flight bags, etc.) to the airplane's previously isolated, internal, 
electronic components. These airplane internal electronic components 
include electronic equipment and systems, instruments, networks, 
servers, software and electronic components, field-loadable software 
and hardware applications, and databases. This proposed design may 
otherwise result in network security vulnerabilities, if not 
appropriately protected, from intentional or unintentional corruption 
of data and systems required for the safety, operation, and maintenance 
of the airplane. The existing regulations and guidance material did not 
anticipate this type of system architecture, nor external wired and 
wireless electronic access to airplane electronic systems. Furthermore, 
regulations, and current system safety-assessment policy and 
techniques, do not address potential security vulnerabilities that 
could be caused by unauthorized access to airplane electronic systems 
and networks.
    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 700 airplane. Should Textron 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 of airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability.
    The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the 
notice and comment period in several prior instances and has been 
derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is 
unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant change 
from the substance contained herein. Therefore, because a delay would 
significantly affect the certification of the airplane, the FAA has 
determined that prior public notice and comment are unnecessary and 
impracticable, and good cause exists for adopting these special 
conditions upon publication in the Federal Register. The FAA is 
requesting comments to allow interested persons to submit views that 
may not have been submitted in response to the prior opportunities for 
comment described above.

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 Textron Model 700 airplanes.

    1. The applicant must ensure that the airplane electronic 
systems are protected 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 
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 system-security 
safeguards.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 10, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-05332 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P