Tag Archives: #faa

FAA Admits Gaps in Aircraft Cybersecurity Rules: New Regulation Proposed

Category:News Tags : #aviation #faa

New cybersecurity rules have been proposed in the US to mitigate vulnerabilities caused by the interconnectedness of modern aircraft.

The proposal, published by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the Federal Register on August 21, highlighted the current trend in aircraft design of increased integration of airplane, engine and propeller systems with internal or external data networks and services.

The regulator warned that these designs are leading to vulnerabilities from sources such as maintenance laptops, public networks, wireless aircraft sensors, satellite communications and portable electronic devices, potentially affecting the safe operation of aircraft.

The FAA acknowledged that current regulations do not adequately address cyber-risks caused by the increased interconnectivity of these critical systems.

The FAA’s proposed rules will require aircraft manufacturers to demonstrate that their design both:

• Protects against unauthorized access from inside or outside of the airplane
• Prevents malicious changes to, and adverse impacts on, the airplane equipment, systems, and networks required for safe operation

Manufacturers will be required to conduct a security risk analysis to identify all security risks posed by intentional unauthorised electronic interactions (IUEI), and mitigate those risks as necessary for safety, functionality and continued airworthiness.

The applicants would also be required to develop procedures to ensure the maintenance of such protections.

The proposed rule applies to any engine and propeller systems installed in airplanes, equipment, and networks that are susceptible to IUEI.

FAA Rules Harmonize with EU Standards

The FAA aims to harmonize its cybersecurity standards for aircraft with other civil aviation authorities, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s Easy Access Rules for Large Aeroplanes  CS-25 regulation. The US agency acknowledged that currently, aircraft manufacturers must meet both airworthiness standards to obtain certification in the US and other jurisdictions.

This approach “would benefit manufacturers and modifiers by providing them a single set of requirements with which they must show compliance, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of certification and codifying a consistent level of safety,” the FAA said.

The proposed rules would also eliminate the need for the FAA to continually issue special conditions during the certification process, reducing costs and time for the regulator.

These special conditions address a project-specific novel or unusual feature of the applicant’s proposed design.

FAA Removes Check Pilot Medical Requirement

Category:News Tags : #aviation #faa

Rule also eliminates FAA regulatory inconsistencies

The FAA has finalized the substantive relief proposed five years ago that removes a requirement for check pilots, check flight engineers, and flight instructors to Part 135 and 121 operations to hold an FAA medical certificate when performing in-flight duties. This move also eliminates Part 135 and 121 regulatory inconsistencies.

“Removing the conflicting medical certificate requirement enables the utilization of pilots who are otherwise qualified to function as check pilots, check flight engineers, and flight instructors in aircraft,” according to the agency. This relief “would increase the number of experienced pilots who would be able to qualify as Part 135 check pilots on aircraft.” Similar clarifying changes were also made to Part 121.

Comments received to the NPRM noted that the originally proposed revisions were insufficient to achieve the goal of the rulemaking: elimination of medical certificate requirement confusion. Therefore, the FAA is adopting different language than proposed for further clarification.

“The substantive relief remains unchanged from that proposed in the 2019 NPRM and historical practice—elimination of medical certificate requirements if not serving as a required flight crewmember,” the agency said. The new rule becomes effective on July 18.