Does Free Route Implementation Influence Air Traffic Management System? Case Study in Poland

The issue addressed in this publication concerns new Air Traffic Management (ATM) functionality, identified in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2014, known as Flexible Airspace Management and Free Route (FRA). The authors pose a question—does free route implementation influence air transport safety? What can be done to maintain the current level of safety and still implement modern solutions? To achieve the aim of this paper a developed concept of Risk Priority Number (RPN) calculation, with determination of main RPN components rating scales, in order to carry out the FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) risk analysis of FRA implementation was done. The results allow lining up of the identified potential incompatibilities according to their criticality to the system. In effect it can be said that each modification in a management system, related to safety, influence the safety itself. Nevertheless, this influence does not always lead to negative impact.