FAA Orders Airplane Wi-Fi Locks to Foil Sky-High Hackers
Published Date: 2/17/2026
Rule
Summary
The FAA is making sure certain Bombardier BD-700 airplanes get new locks on their network ports to keep hackers out. This rule affects U.S. owners and operators and kicks in on March 4, 2026. It’s a safety upgrade that helps protect the plane’s systems without breaking the bank or causing delays.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Install network-port locks within 6 months
If you own or operate the listed Bombardier BD-700-1A10 or BD-700-1A11 airplanes, you must install locking features on the applicable network interfaces within 6 months after March 4, 2026, using a method approved by the FAA Manager, International Validation Branch.
Estimated per-airplane and fleet costs
The FAA estimates this AD affects 1,313 U.S.-registered airplanes and that compliance costs per airplane are 1 work-hour at $85 plus $802 in parts, totaling $887 per airplane and $1,164,631 across U.S. operators.
Limited applicability by model and serials
This AD applies only to Bombardier Model BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes listed by serial numbers in the rule (for example, BD-700-1A10 serials 9381, 9432–9861, 9863–9878, 60001–61999 and BD-700-1A11 serials 9386, 9401, 9445–9862, 9868–9879, 60007–61999).
Credit if prior service-bulletin work done
If you already installed the locking features before the effective date using specified Bombardier Service Bulletins dated July 20, 2022 (and Revision 01 versions dated August 22, 2024), you receive credit for that work and do not need to redo it to comply with this AD.
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