Incidents of lasers being shone at aircraft are very much on the increase. We were getting about one report per month until we raised the profile and then the reporting rate doubled. The reports are about 50:50 UK (our base) and Europe, so it is not just a British malaise.
Industry advice is as follows:
1. If you notice a laser, don’t look at it. It is very tempting, but it will increase the chance of eye injury.
2. Report it to ATC immediately. They can help pinpoint the location and report it to the police. This will also warn other nearby aircraft.
3. File an ASR. On CAA advice we are classifying all laser incidents as MORs so that the CAA can understand the extent of the problem and maybe take action nationally.
4. If any after-effects are felt, the crew member should seek specialist medical attention.
In the UK the police will probably be very proactive since they got a successful prosecution against a Muppet who shone a laser at the Manchester police helicopter.
