Rokami93. The laser that you refer to in the night club would have been tested and cleared for such use. Its NOHD (Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance) would have been calculated and passed as safe for such use. The lasers we are being targetted with are far more powerful. When the laser reflected around your canopy were you travelling from A to B or remaining in the area to carry out your lawful vocation? You see, if we get called to any area due to laser activity against aircraft at our local airport the 'offence' has already been committed and what we are doing is our job in apprehending the offenders. The aircraft at our local airport are targetted at a critical stages of flight (final approach). Are the the crew and passengers not entitled to the protection of the law when such a dangerous act is carried out against them? If a person on the ground hinders a police officer in the course of his duty do you not consider it appropriate for them to be arrested and subjected to due process? We have a legal right to be where we are doing what we do, the perpetrators of laser illuminations are breaking the law! Its not as if they haven't been given warning of the danger that laser illumination poses or warned that it is a criminal offence. They have, with full knowledge of the facts, decided to stick 2 fingers up and defy the law and should be dealt with as any other person is when challenging the law. Maybe you have only experienced laser illumination on one occassion but the industry faced with it on a daily basis and individuals subjected to it weekly. From your comment on my analogy of the fireman and the burning building do I take it that you do not consider the passengers of an aircraft and the crew to be in danger. One day, one of these idiots is going to cause a catostrophic accident resulting in the loss of life! Maybe we should refrain from sending Armed Response Police to incidents involving firearms as long as the person who has committed an offence isn't doing it any more? Offenders who end up in jail for this offence will (typically) have a criminal record already, have denied the offence when challenged and shown little or no remorse for their actions, they basically don't give a sh1t! You sound like a social worker or idealist. Ask any Police pilot if he would prefer to end the year with 100 successful arrests for laser illumination or no arrests because no one has carried out the act, I know that I would vote for the latter, as would all those in my unit.
Last edited by anonythemouse; 19th Dec 2009 at 18:35.
Reason: Spulling Mistook