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AIR FRANCE 447 CRASHED AIRLINER "BLACK BOX" SEARCH NOW EXTENDED

From Bob Bell & Mike Road

Investigators have extended the search for the flight recorders of the Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic last month and still hope to find them, France's transport minister said on Friday.

Flight AF 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed on June 1, killing all 228 people on board, but investigators have so far failed to pick up any signals emitted by the "black box" recorders. The signals are sent out for at least 30 days.

"We could stop around... July 10, but we won't. If we don't find them with the classic means, we will continue through submarine exploration," Transport Minister Dominique Busseareau told French radio.

He said the chances of finding the black boxes were fairly weak, but they would nevertheless try.

French investigators said on Thursday the plane hit the water intact and at high speed, but was missing for six hours before an emergency was declared.

Evidence from wreckage indicates the plane was broken apart by impact with the water, which it struck facing forwards.

AIRFRANCE 447 HIT SEA SURFACE INTACT THEN BROKE APART

From Bob Bell & Mike Road

The Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic last month hit the water intact and at high speed but was missing for six hours before an emergency was declared, French investigators said on Thursday.

Evidence from wreckage indicates the plane was broken apart by impact with the water, which it struck facing forwards.

"The plane was not destroyed while it was in flight. It seems to have hit the surface of the water in the direction of flight and with a strong vertical acceleration," said Alain Bouillard, who is leading the investigation on behalf of France's BEA air accident board.

A food galley was found with its shelves compressed towards its base, the floor of a crew rest area was deformed and the tail fin was wrenched off the fuselage -- all in ways that suggest a violent collision with the ocean, officials said.

The cause of the crash is still not known.

Bouillard said control of the flight was supposed to have passed from air traffic controllers in Brazil to their counterparts in Senegal, but that never happened.

He said the pilots of flight AF 447 tried three times to connect to the Senegalese capital Dakar by satellite without success.

It was not until 0830 GMT, more than six hours after a flurry of error messages from the plane's electronic systems, that the plane was officially declared missing by Spain whose airspace it was due to have crossed en route to France.

Asked whether the alleged air traffic fumble may have delayed the search operation, Bouillard said, "It is one of the subjects of our investigation: why so much time elapsed between the last radio contact and declaration of an emergency."

THE COORDINATION

Aviation officials say it is not uncommon for planes to be out of reach temporarily while crossing the stormy expanse of ocean where the jet crashed, killing all 228 people on board.

But a Brazilian official denied local controllers had failed to hand over responsibility for the aircraft to Senegal.

"The alert that there had probably been an accident was issued by Madrid. Madrid issued that alert because the plane did not reach its airspace, but before that (the plane) had to pass through Dakar. Why was that alert not issued earlier?," Brazilian Air Force Spokesman Henry Munhoz said.

"The BEA made a preliminary interpretation that possibly Brazil did not transfer control of the flight to Dakar, but this did in fact happen. We have a transcript of it, which was even sent to the BEA. We have information that Dakar did receive that transfer," he said.

BEA officials said Brazil had sent a "coordination message" advising basic details of the plane's progress but did not send a second message formally transferring control of the aircraft.

The contrasting accounts are the second sign of friction in the aftermath of the world's worst air crash in eight years.

The BEA also reiterated unease that France had not yet been granted access to autopsy reports on bodies taken to Brazil and said these would provide helpful clues in the investigation.

Bouillard said the search for the flight recorders, or black boxes, from the Airbus A330 aircraft would continue until July 10. The recorders emit a signal for around 30 days.

After that, France will continue to probe the seabed with remote sonars until August 15.

Despite the disaster, investigators said they did not see any wider concerns that would indicate the need to ground Airbus A330 aircraft.

Speculation has focused on incoherent speed readings provided by the plane's speed sensors, or pitot tubes, which may have disrupted other systems.

Several problems with A330 speed sensors have been reported, including two in the United States recently, but authorities say none has so far led to a significant loss of altitude.

Families of the Air France victims said on Thursday they wanted more information on the error messages sent by the plane in the last minutes of its flight.

AIR NEW ZEALAND GETS DOWN TO "BARE ESSENTIALS"

From David Hancock

From Leisha Distefano

A US Airways plane was forced to divert from its path after a naked passenger began running around inside.

New Yorker Keith Wright, 50, stripped down in front of 148 passengers and refused to put his clothes back on.

Passengers helped to hold him down while Wright's ankles and wrists were handcuffed to a row of seats.

The plane, on its way to Los Angeles, diverted to Albuquerque and Wright was arrested and taken into custody.

'I fell asleep and the lady fell asleep and I woke up and she was gone and I was like oh my God this guy is naked,' said passenger Lynette Naude.

Airline staff asked remaining passengers to keep their clothes on.

SECURING OUR REGIONAL SKIES

From Garry Luxton

NSW police training teams visited Coffs Harbour Airport Friday 3rd July 2009 as Phase 2 of the Securing our Regional Skies (SORS) program continues. The aim of the SORS II Training Program is to provide an increased awareness of the current security environment, and to deliver enhanced skills related to security at regional airports.  There was also reviews and re-enforcement of local transport security.  The teams will are supporting local organisations through discussion exercises and providing guidance through on-site security reviews at the Coffs Harbour Airport. The joint training team will consist of members from the NSW Police Force Counter Terrorism Co-ordinated Response Group, the Office of Transport Security and Local Government, and are attending regional airports in NSW as part of the Securing Our Regional Skies Education and Awareness Programme.
 
Commander of the Counter Terrorism Response Unit, Inspector Brenton Charlton said the initial program last year was a success which police hoped to build upon. "The key objective of the program is to provide an overview of the current security environment relating to regional airport security, and participants is including local police and emergency service organisations, council representatives and airport owners and operators. "The program provides an opportunity for key stakeholders involved in management, security and response to learn from the experience of other regional airports and validate their security planning and response arrangements," Inspector Charlton said. Inspector Charlton added that updates will be provided on the current Security Environment, Security Trends at Regional Airports, and Transport Security Planning, as well as training on White Level Inspection and Security Awareness, and Suspicious Substance Awareness Training. The NSW Police Force "Securing our Regional Skies - Education and Awareness Training Program 2009" will be conducted from January to July 2009. 
 
Each airport is being visited individually during the course of the allocated week where the training team will engage with local regional airport  stakeholders, inclusive of the owner and operators responsible for airport security. The training is funded through the Australian Government's $48 million Securing our Regional Skies package and is jointly conducted by NSW Police Force and the Office of Transport Security to deliver a program that effectively develops the protective security and incident response capabilities of regional airports.

NEW AIR FORCE CAPABILITY AT RAAF WILLIAMTOWN

From Garry Luxton

The Royal Australian Air Force today re-formed Number 4 Squadron, to enhance the ADF's Air/Land coordination capability. The new Squadron will train specialist personnel who can deploy to forward operational areas and coordinate the delivery of air weapons.

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin said the modern battlespace is very complex and there is an increasing need for specialised coordination between air and ground units to achieve effective air combat power.

No. 4 Squadron has been re-formed at RAAF Williamtown to train specialists who can work on the ground alongside Army units, or in the air, to coordinate the delivery of air weapons. The Air Force specialists are known as Forward Air Controllers (FAC). They complete some specialist training including the Joint Terminal Attack Controller course. FACs provide a vital link between the aircraft and the ground troops, providing up to date information on the battle space from a forward position either on the ground or airborne.

Although 4 Squadron was re-formed today, selected Air Force FACs were trained in special tactics throughout last year and have already deployed with Australian forces in Afghanistan.

"Air Force has deployed Forward Air Controllers in operations dating back to Vietnam, but the re-establishment of 4 Squadron and the enhancement of the specialist capability represents the next evolution in integrated air and land operations," AIRMSHL Binskin said.

"The re-formed 4 Squadron delivers highly skilled and deployable Air Force personnel who will have an essential role in the 21st Century battlespace." 4 Squadron brings together the former Forward Air Control Development Unit (FACDU) and RAAF's Special Tactics Project. The new Squadron comprises about 60 personnel based at RAAF Williamtown and will operate 4 PC-9 aircraft. 4 Squadron has a proud history. It was originally formed during WWI and also served in WWII, operating Wirraways and Boomerang Fighters.

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