[Peetwo]

Bearded Buffoon read the riot act?

Way I heard it was as part of the $25,999 package, Beaker was to take scuba lessons, so as to save the tax payer money.  The notion was that if he could overcome aqua phobia, then the retrieval of CVR gear from reasonable depths could be done in a ‘cost effective’ but safe, ICAO compliant manner.  Not to mention front page photo’s of Beaker with a half peeled wet suit, clutching a six year old relic could be plastered all over ‘le’ monde’ and other salubrious publications.  Win – win and the girls would love it – Butch Beaker.

In reference to the "K" post off the Horse-pooh thread it was noted in Senate Estimates last night that yesterday the ATSB had - in the normal BBB cynical, no fanfare, 'up yours' style  - updated the PelAir reinvestigation, with details (finally) of the CVR/FDR recovery tender:

Ditching of Israel Aircraft Westwind 1124A aircraft, VH-NGA, 5 km SW of Norfolk Island Airport on 18 November 2009

 
Investigation number: AO-2009-072
Investigation status: Active
 

• Update
  
• Re-opened
  
• Photos
  
• Safety Issues
  

Update
Updated: 19 October 2015
On 12 June 2015, the ATSB released a Request for Tender for provision of services for the recovery of the flight recorders from VH-NGA. After an extensive evaluation process in accordance with federal government requirements, a successful tender was selected and the ATSB has entered into a contract for a recovery operation to commence on site between 3 and 8 November 2015. The recovery operation is expected to be complete by the middle of November. A further update will be released after examination of the recorders at the ATSB’s technical facilities in Canberra and assessment of whether they contain recoverable and usable data.

The previous update on 25 May 2015 outlined the nature of the other investigation activities being undertaken by the re-opened investigation. These activities are close to being completed. In addition, the re-opened investigation has conducted interviews with both flight crew and both medical crew from the accident flight.

The investigation team are now in the process of analysing the available information and they have commenced the preparation of a draft report. Given the delay in recovering the recorders and the amount of information that has been collected and analysed, it is expected that a draft report will be released to directly involved parties for comment in early 2016.

   
However if the Bearded Buffoon thought that would be enough to placate the good Senators - in particular NX & DF..  - then I am afraid he was sorely mistaken..   

That, coupled with what the Heff called the "..MH370  stuff up''..

 

..& the line of questioning coming down the pipe from the Senators on MH370 (in particular Senator Gallacher )...

...gives the impression that BBB is in potential terminal trouble & could be the first in the MH370 scapegoat line-up to be pushed in front of the bus..

The trouble is we have seen Beaker survive from similar scathing criticism before. However if I was a betting man I'd say Murky & co have already got the box measured...

Update: Hansard now released in full - Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee - 19/10/2015 - Estimates - INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO - Australian Transport Safety Bureau
    

Catching up on the Yaffa...

Yesterday courtesy the Oz Flying:

This 2015 photo shows the Westwind wreckage has not been disturbed on the ocean floor since the accident in 2009. (ATSB)



ATSB to recover Pel-Air Flight Recorder next Month
28 Oct 2015

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) expects to recover the Flight Data Recorder (black box) from the ditched Pel-Air Westwind in November.

The ATSB came under significant criticism for releasing their final investigation report in the November 2009 ditching off Norfolk Island without retrieving the data recorder from the wreckage. Under pressure from Minister Warren Truss and an independent audit carried out by the Canadian TSB, ATSB commissioner Martin Dolan agreed to re-open the investigation and retrieve the black box.

"I signed a contract on Thursday last week, I think it was, for the recovery services," Dolan told the Senate Estimates Committee last week. "Our current expectation is that the vessel with recovery equipment will be out there by the first week in November and we expect to complete the recovery within a week of their being at Norfolk."

Although the ATSB announced they would go after the black box in February, the actual recovery was delayed because the contract to do so had to go to tender.

Asked about the status of the re-opened investigation, Dolan provided this update.
"The information-gathering stage of the reopened investigation is essentially complete, and so the work is now going through to assess all the additional information that has been acquired to draw conclusions so that a draft report can be prepared before Christmas."

 About bloody time...   So far the VH-NGA CVR/FDR has been under the ocean 2172 days or 5 years, 11 months & 12 days. Q/ Is that a record for the longest period to recover a blackbox? The most embarrassing point is we've known all along where VH-NGA was located...


MTF..P2