ATM Functionality Development Concept with Particular Analysis of Free Route Airspace Operations in Poland

This article concerns Air Traffic Management (ATM) development concept arising from the constant and undeniable development of air transport. In Europe, the Single European Sky Air Traffic Research and Development (SESAR) project and Single European Sky (SES) idea are still valid and up to date. As a consequence, in 2014 one of the Commission Regulations introduced a project called ‘Pilot Common Project’, which identified the ATM functionalities to be implemented as part of the European Air Traffic Management Master Plan. The defined deployment target dates are approaching that is why it was decided to analyse the issue of ATM development. The paper starts with a short introduction giving the background identification and describing ATM functionalities listed in the ‘Pilot Common Project’. Then, due to the closest deployment date, particular attention was paid to the Flexible Airspace Management and Free Route functionality. In the following part of the publication the idea of free route airspace operations was presented – its definition, goal, important dates, boundaries as well as restrictions. Then risk analysis of its implementation using Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was carried out. The obtained results were summed up and conclusions drawn in the last paragraph of the paper.