L@ser attacks on Aircraft
Re Military pilots-a lot of them wear visors or use some sort of vision enhancment technology, so not saying its dead easy - Military folks tend not to disclose what their kit can and cannot do anyway
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The visor things are just grown-up sunglasses.
The vision enhancement technology (NVG) actually might help if the laser is from the right direction, but that is purely coincidental since you are looking at a screen rather than the real world.
I will tell you right now that in many years of military flying I never saw anything that would work against a variety of lasers without degrading vision to a huge extent.
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With ref to post 839 i agree wholeheartedly with you but if the police just slap wrists nothing happens.
Pair issued with police cautions for shining laser at Stansted-bound plane and a helicopter | Harlow Star
Pair issued with police cautions for shining laser at Stansted-bound plane and a helicopter | Harlow Star
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Excuse me, would you mind not pointing lasers at airplanes?
'Excuse me, would you mind not pointing lasers at airplanes? Thanks' Excuse Me, Would You Mind Not Pointing Lasers At Airplanes? - Vocativ
Closing paragraph of her Vocativ article:'In order to rectify this growing threat (of albeit questionable severity), scientists have even developed glasses specially made for pilots in order to protect them from “laser strikes.” But as we all know, the goggles do nothing.'
I work for the FAA so I know this 'questionable' threat is real. Thought some of you may be able to share info with this 'Data Reporter' (quoted from her LinkedIn page).
Be Safe and thanks for all you do to keep us safe!!
Closing paragraph of her Vocativ article:'In order to rectify this growing threat (of albeit questionable severity), scientists have even developed glasses specially made for pilots in order to protect them from “laser strikes.” But as we all know, the goggles do nothing.'
I work for the FAA so I know this 'questionable' threat is real. Thought some of you may be able to share info with this 'Data Reporter' (quoted from her LinkedIn page).
Be Safe and thanks for all you do to keep us safe!!
Neighbours jailed for shining laser pen at police helicopter
From the BBC web site (article dated Fri 22 Jul 2016)
Two neighbours who shone a laser pen into the cockpit of a police helicopter during a search for a missing person have been jailed.
Martin Jayes and Oktawain Plaskiewicz took turns to shine the light at the helicopter as it circled over Leicester, causing the search to be halted.
Jayes, 46, who was drunk at the time, was jailed for eight months.
Plaskiewicz, 22, was jailed for six months.
Judge Adrienne Lucking QC told the men that such actions cause "very grave risks".
She said: "Actions with a laser like this cause life-threatening danger to the pilot and members of the public on the ground."
How dangerous are lasers to planes?
The helicopter was circling over Western Park when both men, of Bateman Road, New Parks, targeted it at about 23:00 GMT on 9 March.
They were arrested and pleaded guilty to recklessly or negligently endangering the safety of an aircraft and those travelling within it.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Jayes, a father-of-six, had 71 previous criminal offences on his record.
Philip Gibbs, mitigating for Plaskiewicz, said his client worked 60-70 hours a week to provide for his partner, her nine-year-old son and a two-week-old baby.
He said: "He is mortified by what he has done and the potential consequences for others."
Two neighbours who shone a laser pen into the cockpit of a police helicopter during a search for a missing person have been jailed.
Martin Jayes and Oktawain Plaskiewicz took turns to shine the light at the helicopter as it circled over Leicester, causing the search to be halted.
Jayes, 46, who was drunk at the time, was jailed for eight months.
Plaskiewicz, 22, was jailed for six months.
Judge Adrienne Lucking QC told the men that such actions cause "very grave risks".
She said: "Actions with a laser like this cause life-threatening danger to the pilot and members of the public on the ground."
How dangerous are lasers to planes?
The helicopter was circling over Western Park when both men, of Bateman Road, New Parks, targeted it at about 23:00 GMT on 9 March.
They were arrested and pleaded guilty to recklessly or negligently endangering the safety of an aircraft and those travelling within it.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Jayes, a father-of-six, had 71 previous criminal offences on his record.
Philip Gibbs, mitigating for Plaskiewicz, said his client worked 60-70 hours a week to provide for his partner, her nine-year-old son and a two-week-old baby.
He said: "He is mortified by what he has done and the potential consequences for others."
Philip Gibbs, mitigating for Plaskiewicz, said his client worked 60-70 hours a week to provide for his partner, her nine-year-old son and a two-week-old baby.
And this justifies shining a laser pen how ?
It doesn't, but at a sentencing hearing convicted people are allowed to make the court aware of any circumstances which would result in the sentence causing unavoidable harm or hardship to people who have committed no offences. In some particular circumstances it might result in a judge giving a non-custodial sentence when a custodial one might otherwise have been on the cards. It can also result in someone keeping their licence after getting to 12 points where, for example, their ability to drive is essential for the well-being of a seriously disabled child.
As for the rest, it's just the normal information that the defendant's barrister passes to the judge to inform the sentencing decision.
As you can see, in this case the judge clearly felt that the offences too serious for any consequences and expressed remorse to avoid a custodial sentence, which is as it should be of course.
As for the rest, it's just the normal information that the defendant's barrister passes to the judge to inform the sentencing decision.
As you can see, in this case the judge clearly felt that the offences too serious for any consequences and expressed remorse to avoid a custodial sentence, which is as it should be of course.
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Nearly 100 cases of laser pens aimed at South East pilots this year - BBC News
Kent Conservative MP Rehman Chishti has campaigned for pens above 1 milliwatt (mW) in strength to be banned.
Darren Taylor, from Gatwick Airport Police, said one pen surrendered to officers earlier this year was 2,000mW.
Kent Conservative MP Rehman Chishti has campaigned for pens above 1 milliwatt (mW) in strength to be banned.
Darren Taylor, from Gatwick Airport Police, said one pen surrendered to officers earlier this year was 2,000mW.
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beamender99
"2000mW Lasers Pointers are newly arrvied in Lxxxpoinxx.Pro.com. As super power laser pointer, the light range can be as far as 5000 meters. They are perfect as presentation lasers for teachers, professors, doctors, managers, engineers and so on. You can get excellent 2000mw laser pointers with Laser Safety Goggles."
Really, teachers, professors, managers... packing a l@ser pen with that much. They're 'good to 5000metres'.
Beyond belief.
Really, teachers, professors, managers... packing a l@ser pen with that much. They're 'good to 5000metres'.
Beyond belief.
Last edited by jaysky; 1st Aug 2016 at 08:51. Reason: edited to remove overt link to site
I feel Darwin may step in here, a green laser 2000mW pen a few cans of beer and then pointing it at his friends and spurious reflections hitting his own eyeballs at very close range before he goes out to paint an airliner.
I would not touch one with a bargepole.
Perhaps if the CAA etc advertised how dangerous these things are to the user never mind their victims the morons might stop.
I would not touch one with a bargepole.
Perhaps if the CAA etc advertised how dangerous these things are to the user never mind their victims the morons might stop.
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Why are they on sale? Because people want them and they have uses. The lower powered ones are used for pointing out celestial objects during amateur astronomy, and I would suspect this usage results in many of the "attack" reports. The higher powered ones, because: freedom.
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Laser attack leaves woman blinded in one eye.
OK, not an aircraft related incident, but certainly shows the danger of a laser attack.
Woman blinded in one eye following Clydebank laser attack - BBC News
Woman blinded in one eye following Clydebank laser attack - BBC News
Last edited by Ancient-Mariner; 17th Sep 2016 at 14:58. Reason: typo
I am treating that BBC report with some degree of suspicion. It is *possible* of course that it was some particularly powerful laser pointer, but in general, I would expect the blink reflex, combined with the piss-poor beam collimation of typical laser pens to be such that it would be difficult to be permanently blinded. A burnt spot on the retina, maybe. Total blindness? Unlikely.
Severe damage to kids mucking about described here: Is Your Laser Pointer Dangerous Enough to Cause Eye Injury? - American Academy of Ophthalmology
I have given lectures using a one milliwatt laser pointer and it seems entirely adequate for quite a large room.
We have in my astronomy group some green laser pens in the 5 to 10 milliwatt range to use as pointers but we don't let visiting members of the public use them.
I will leave it to those who are pilots to discuss the dazzle and distraction at distances of a mile or more. And it does not even have to be a laser - see here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...anglesey-wales
I have given lectures using a one milliwatt laser pointer and it seems entirely adequate for quite a large room.
We have in my astronomy group some green laser pens in the 5 to 10 milliwatt range to use as pointers but we don't let visiting members of the public use them.
I will leave it to those who are pilots to discuss the dazzle and distraction at distances of a mile or more. And it does not even have to be a laser - see here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...anglesey-wales
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All I can say is that it does and will happen, I have had it happen twice. The first L@ser illumination just lit up the flight deck, we noticed it but didn't get either of us. The second one was much different, it got me in my left eye, it was like looking at a camera flash but much more powerful and with a much longer blinding time. The odd thing was my eye actually hurt and felt weird like the pressure had increased inside it for some time. Both of these events happened when we were low altitude arriving for a landing and where no higher than 1800 feet above the ground and definitely messed up my vision for landing. These idiots who do shine the l@sers at aircraft show be paying heavy penalties. I witnessed it on vacation in 2014 in Thailand, i wanted to knocked the idiot on his ass. I watched as we where waiting for a river dinner cruise. It was a fast progression from shining it at things nearby to shining into the windows of a hotel across the river to then trying to illuminate an aircraft. I really do not think these are incidents related to astronomy, as the areas they come from are mostly in cities near airports with way to much light pollution to be able to see celestial bodies at night other than the moon which a serious astronomer wouldn't do. Serious jail time may slow down the idiots, there will always be idiots. Not only do they endanger lives they also endanger the careers of the crew!
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Why is it that laser pointers being aimed at aircraft are regarded as such a severe risk in the UK, US, Australia and Canada, but elsewhere in the world, nothing at all seems to be done?In fact it seems to be an accepted hobby at some, particularly third world, airports.
Surely the risks to aviation are the same everywhere that idiots point these devices at aircraft?
Suffering flash blindness from a laser strike is not trivial at a critical stage in flight or at any other time for that matter. However, the risks are overstated somewhat in the popular press. Most effects are temporary and total recovery from even a high power laser flash/dazzle can be expected within a few days. Prolonged exposure can result in permanent injury. In truth, a lightning strike on an aircraft nose can generate a far more intense flash of light in the cockpit than any laser aimed from the ground.
The distraction caused by laser pointers aimed at aircraft from the ground presents increased risk during a critical stage of flight and perpetrators should be prosecuted wherever and whenever they are apprehended and subject to severe, deterrent penalties. But the reality is that injury and particularly permanent injury to the eye(s) is exceptionally rare given the number of instances reported. If we include the non reported instances, the risk of permanent injury becomes vanishingly small. That is not say it can't happen, or any attempt to trivialise this hazard, but in all the years these pointers have been pointed at aircraft, not a single one has crashed as a result. A credit to the professionalism of pilots everywhere.
Surely the risks to aviation are the same everywhere that idiots point these devices at aircraft?
Suffering flash blindness from a laser strike is not trivial at a critical stage in flight or at any other time for that matter. However, the risks are overstated somewhat in the popular press. Most effects are temporary and total recovery from even a high power laser flash/dazzle can be expected within a few days. Prolonged exposure can result in permanent injury. In truth, a lightning strike on an aircraft nose can generate a far more intense flash of light in the cockpit than any laser aimed from the ground.
The distraction caused by laser pointers aimed at aircraft from the ground presents increased risk during a critical stage of flight and perpetrators should be prosecuted wherever and whenever they are apprehended and subject to severe, deterrent penalties. But the reality is that injury and particularly permanent injury to the eye(s) is exceptionally rare given the number of instances reported. If we include the non reported instances, the risk of permanent injury becomes vanishingly small. That is not say it can't happen, or any attempt to trivialise this hazard, but in all the years these pointers have been pointed at aircraft, not a single one has crashed as a result. A credit to the professionalism of pilots everywhere.