diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
index df86b8f425..e0c9b85ff7 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
@@ -2012,7 +2012,7 @@ static void gcs_send_text_P(gcs_severity severity, const prog_char_t *str)
   only one fits in the queue, so if you send more than one before the
   last one gets into the serial buffer then the old one will be lost
  */
-static void gcs_send_text_fmt(const prog_char_t *fmt, ...)
+void gcs_send_text_fmt(const prog_char_t *fmt, ...)
 {
     char fmtstr[40];
     va_list ap;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/commands_process.pde b/ArduPlane/commands_process.pde
index 974474d503..4eb633c95f 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/commands_process.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/commands_process.pde
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 // For changing active command mid-mission
 //----------------------------------------
-static void change_command(uint8_t cmd_index)
+void change_command(uint8_t cmd_index)
 {
 	struct Location temp = get_cmd_with_index(cmd_index);
 
diff --git a/ArduPlane/geofence.pde b/ArduPlane/geofence.pde
index 4bf9f77eed..e79867adf4 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/geofence.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/geofence.pde
@@ -316,6 +316,13 @@ static void geofence_send_status(mavlink_channel_t chan)
     }
 }
 
+// public function for use in failsafe modules
+bool geofence_breached(void) 
+{ 
+    return geofence_state?geofence_state->fence_triggered:false; 
+}
+
+
 #else // GEOFENCE_ENABLED
 
 static void geofence_check(bool altitude_check_only) { }