Canadian Force readying air security procedures

It's the sound of security.

The thundering noise of CF-18 fighter jets will reverberate across the Lower Mainland this week as the Canadian Forces fly over Olympic venues in final preparation for their mission during the Winter Games.

"The pilots are doing their training flights to familiarize themselves with the area and with the conditions in which they will be operating," Lieutenant (Navy) David Lavallee said Monday in an interview.

They will be flying at a variety of different altitudes, dropping to as low as a couple thousand feet during manoeuvres. The aircraft will be at higher altitudes while pilots familiarize themselves to the landscape. "If people see them and hear them, it is nothing to be worried about. It is just training flights."

The fighter jets are prepared to shoot down aircraft that violate the restricted airspace, Lt. Lavallee also said. But he quickly added that the decision to use lethal force would be a last resort, after a process of escalating efforts to identify the flight and its purpose had failed.

"If they enters restricted air space and are not authorized to be there, we will try to establish communications with them," he said.

Fighter jets may try to intercept them or helicopters may try to identify them visually in order to figure out what they doing and where they are, he said.

"A whole process happens before it gets to point where the option of lethal force is considered."

The fighters will be ready to start their mission as soon as the air space restrictions come into effect, he said.

Organizers anticipate up to 600 additional non-scheduled aircraft in the region on the peak days of the Winter Games.

Security measures in the air have been imposed in concentric rings of restrictions in a 30-nautical mile radius of the airport and Whistler's athlete's village. The rules governing airspace above venues and training sites come into effect on Friday.

Generally, all aircraft except for approved military and police operations will be required to specify point-to-point operations and by on an active flight plan. Random flights will not be authorized.

Also, all aircraft require a functioning transponder and must maintain two-way radio communications with air traffic services. A lengthy list of prohibited operations includes solo flights by student pilots, aerobatic flights and unmanned air vehicles and model aircraft operations.

Within airspace closer to the venues, the restrictions tighten. All cabin and flight crews entering Olympic air space are required to register first with the integrated security unit and all goods must be screened.

Parachuting, parasailing, paragliding, hand gliding, hot air balloons, dirigibles, sight-seeing air ships, banner towing and aerial advertising are prohibited.

Within a one-mile radius of several venues, access is limited to military, police and emergency flights, search and rescue, state aircraft on official business, media aircraft and aircraft carrying international protective persons designated by the RCMP.

The CF-18 Hornet fighter jets will be stationed in Vancouver and at the Canadian Forces base in Comox. Lt. Lavallee said he could not reveal the number of aircraft or their schedule. He also declined to comment on the response time for the CF-18s to any threat. "To give it out would violate operational security," he said.

But he left no doubt about air security for the Games.

"We'll be ready to respond to any unauthorized traffic in the restricted air space," Lt. Lavallee said.

Robert Matas, The Globe and Mail P