Laser Sites

[ALEXA]

This year's half mil southern England/Wales ICAO chart now shows laser sites. I can see one at Cambridge and one at Pershore, height unlimited.

The sites are not marked as restricted, prohibited or danger areas and there is no note to explain the risks. So what are the risks and what advice (if any) should be given to pilots about flying over or near them?

[FWA NATCA]

Recently advertisers seem to be using large lasers to draw crowds to a sale or special event, because the general public wants to see how bright a large laser is so they will drive a long way to see one.

The danger for a pilot is if you are hit with the laser you may be temporarally blinded, so you should avoid these areas where someone is using a large laser (usually it is a green beam laser). Normally the user has to receive approval and have a notam issued, and they are usually restricted as to the height and direction that the beam is allowed to be pointed.

Either way, you don't want to look directly at a laser or a large spot light while flying.

Mike
NATCA FWA

[MasterCaution]

I've flown over the Cambridge one many times (it's under the turn-to-inbound on the hold if you are doing about 105kts). According to the AIP the operating authority (Cambridge University) communicate with Cambridge ATC. My suspicion is that it's not been active for a few years.

MC.