Success is not merely absence of failure - a systems-engineering approach to safety assessment

The paper explains why a new approach, both broader and more rigorous than that traditionally followed in ATM, is needed for the safety assessment of the major operational and technology changes such as those planned for introduction into European ATM over the period up to 2020 and beyond, under the SESAR Programme. It presents the theoretical basis for what is an argument-driven "systems-engineering approach". A related paper describes how that approach is being trialled on the preparatory work for the safety assessment of the SESAR Operational Concept. (6 pages)