2026-12273: Special Conditions: Honeywell Aerospace US LLC, Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX Airplane; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized Internal Access

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 117 (Thursday, June 18, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 117 (Thursday, June 18, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 36747-36748] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-12273] ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 117 / Thursday, June 18, 2026 / Rules and Regulations [[Page 36747]] DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 25 [Docket No. FAA-2026-4820; Special Conditions No. 25-893-SC] Special Conditions: Honeywell Aerospace US LLC, Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX Airplane; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized Internal Access

Agency

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

Action

Final special conditions; request for comments. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

These special conditions are issued for the Dassault Aviation (Dassault) Model Falcon 900EX airplane. This airplane, as modified by Honeywell Aerospace US LLC (Honeywell), 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 a digital system that contains a wireless and hardwired network with 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 Honeywell International Inc. on June 18, 2026. Send comments on or before August 3, 2026.

Addresses

Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2026-4820 using any of the following methods: Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to 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. Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 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

Thuan T. Nguyen, Avionics Software and Components Unit, AIR-626D, Technical Policy Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198; telephone and fax (206) 231-3365; email [email protected].

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 notice and comment prior to this publication are unnecessary. 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 www.regulations.gov, 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 (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 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. 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 May 6, 2025, Honeywell applied for a supplemental type certificate for the isolation of aircraft electronic system security protection from unauthorized internal access in the Dassault Aviation (Dassault) Model Falcon 900EX airplane. The Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX Airplane, currently approved under Type Certificate No. A46EU, is a three-engine, transport category airplane with a maximum takeoff weight of 48,300 pounds to 49,000 pounds, and a maximum passenger capacity of 19 persons. [[Page 36748]] Type Certification Basis Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.101, Honeywell must show that the Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX airplane, as changed, continues to meet the applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. A46EU 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX 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 Features The Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX airplane will incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature: The installation of a digital system that contains a wireless and hardwired network with hosted application functionality that allows access, from sources internal to the airplane, to the airplane's internal electronic components. Discussion The Dassault Model Falcon 900EX airplane electronic system architecture and network configuration change is novel or unusual for commercial transport airplanes because it is composed of several connected wireless and hardwired networks. This proposed system and network architecture is used for a diverse set of airplane functions, including: flight-safety related control and navigation systems, airline business and administrative support, and passenger entertainment. The airplane's 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 hardwired 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX airplane. Should Honeywell apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any other model included on Type Certificate No. A46EU 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability and affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA for approval of this 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), 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX airplanes, as modified by Honeywell.