Georgebush From New Zealand, joined Jul 2006, 679 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (5 years 4 months 6 hours ago) and read 5024 times:
Thats rediculous!
How do these guys even manage to shine a laser in a cockpit (let alone pilots eyes) of a plane flying at 1,500ft??? Just seems like you need more than your average laser pointer.
I hope they get caught and sent to jail for a while!
Flyf15 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (5 years 4 months 6 hours ago) and read 5009 times:
I have a funny story relating to this. I was once on final... checked in with tower and was told that pilots were reporting laser activity on about a 6 mile final, and if we saw it, to give them the best description of the location that we could. Sure enough, we saw it and gave them a DME fix and the distance from centerline it looked to be.
Then an aircraft checks in behind us, they're told to do the same as us by tower. Well, they get lased too, and apparently the pilot lived really close and knew the area... he blurted out "I see it! Its the 3rd house on the left north of McDonalds on Palmer St! Back yard!" Tower responds with "Wow, you sure bout that?" "Definitely, 100%" "Haha, alright, well, someone is going to get a visit from the police tonight then."
CO777ER From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 691 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 years 4 months 6 hours ago) and read 4981 times:
I've seen some on short final heading into HOU on a WN flight. The flight crew didn't see it, but I'm 95% sure I saw it, as you could see it on the ground. If it wasn't a laser, then it was a very strong/concentrated light flow of green light.
Jetblueguy22 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 2021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 4669 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Quoting CO777ER (Reply 4): If it wasn't a laser, then it was a very strong/concentrated light flow of green light.
Maybe it was an ALIEN! J/K
I am really tired of this. What kind of crime is this labled as?
Blue
Professor Foltz: You push down on that yolk, the houses get bigger, you pull back on the yolk, the houses get bigger.
Jetblueguy22 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 2021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 4399 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
Quoting Georgebush (Reply 6): Definitely federal crime. I am sure the right lawyer could get you on several counts of attempted murder.
Oh. That is what I was hoping you would say. Lock them up for many years!
Blue
Professor Foltz: You push down on that yolk, the houses get bigger, you pull back on the yolk, the houses get bigger.
BravoGolf From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 535 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 4156 times:
Quoting Georgebush (Reply 2): How do these guys even manage to shine a laser in a cockpit (let alone pilots eyes) of a plane flying at 1,500ft??? Just seems like you need more than your average laser pointer.
It is available from an online computer parts catalogue I will not name for $80.00. They claim 1 3/8 mile range.
SJC4Me From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 366 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3812 times:
Maybe pilots can invest in some polarized or anti-laser sunglasses and then this will all go away. How shitty would you feel if you did that as a joke and 100 people died?
Indy From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 4368 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3792 times:
Its amazing that anyone could pull it off. You are hitting a target at quite a distance and moving at a high rate of speed and you get the laser through that little window and into the eyes of the pilot. Amazing aim. Disturbing but amazing.
Beertrucker From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 400 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3534 times:
If you ever watched CSI Miami they did a whole episode on this about a plane crash after takeoff from MIA.
Bok269 From United States of America, joined May 2007, 2105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3420 times:
Quoting SJC4Me (Reply 10): Maybe pilots can invest in some polarized or anti-laser sunglasses and then this will all go away. How shitty would you feel if you did that as a joke and 100 people died?
I don't know that polarized sunglasses would help in this situation. Do anti-laser sunglasses exist?
MCIGuy From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 1936 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3335 times:
Quoting Georgebush (Reply 2): Just seems like you need more than your average laser pointer.
You don't. There are a ton of "pumped up" laser pointers for sale on ebay, mostly in Hong Kong and Europe. They are souped up laser pointers and some are so overdriven that they'll actually cut tape or burn a hole through a trash bag, and instantly and permanently blind someone when shined in the eyes. Yeah, like anything else, laser pointers are dangerous in the hands of an idiot.
TXKF2010 From Bermuda, joined Nov 2005, 157 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3207 times:
Quoting MCIGuy (Reply 15): They are souped up laser pointers and some are so overdriven that they'll actually cut tape or burn a hole through a trash bag, and instantly and permanently blind someone when shined in the eyes
Ya but thats got 2 be a close range to do damage like cut tape or a trash bag. Regardless its a stupid move for people on the ground to be doing that. I was flying one night and some jabroni was out in a field with a four million candle power light and was shining it at me while descending. I wasnt to impressed with that.
AF1624 From France, joined Jul 2006, 572 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3169 times:
Quoting MCIGuy (Reply 15): You don't. There are a ton of "pumped up" laser pointers for sale on ebay, mostly in Hong Kong and Europe. They are souped up laser pointers and some are so overdriven that they'll actually cut tape or burn a hole through a trash bag, and instantly and permanently blind someone when shined in the eyes. Yeah, like anything else, laser pointers are dangerous in the hands of an idiot.
Small lasers with a range of about 500 meters ('bout 0,8 miles) are actually quite common in Europe, sold in toy shops for children and teenagers. I myself had one of those when I was like 11 or 12 and I was quite amazed by the range of the thing. So I guess it can be easily found and those lasers are not that weak.
But I'm still wondering how can you aim that well at a moving aircraft 1500 feet above the ground, right through a tiny window ? And how dangerous can that really be ? Not children playing with lasers I mean, but laser technology itself against commercial airplanes ?
DLPMMM From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 3531 posts, RR: 9 Reply 18, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2727 times:
Quoting AF1624 (Reply 17): But I'm still wondering how can you aim that well at a moving aircraft 1500 feet above the ground, right through a tiny window ? And how dangerous can that really be ?
The beam divergence on these lasers is fairly large, so at a distance of a mile or 2, the beam will be a couple of feet in diameter. Easy to point with a tripod. Many of the "problem children" (idiots) have been using Argon lasers designed for laser light shows (also used in eye surgery). Most definately dangerous if powerful enough.
Quoting AF1624 (Reply 17): Not children playing with lasers I mean, but laser technology itself against commercial airplanes ?
The USSR had high powered lasers they used to blind enemy pilots. The US government also had the "Dazzeler" designed to blind the enemy ( designed by GE, but never actually fielded to my knowlege).
My understanding is that military lasers designed specifically for blinding the enemy are banned for signitories of the Genevia Convention.
Most of the laser rangefinders in the US (and other countries) are "eye-safe" infra-red lasers in the 1.54 to 1.57 micron region so that they do not blind friendly forces in training (or enemies before blowing them up).
TF39 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 110 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2582 times:
Hey folks - how many of you are amateur astronomers? Probably none given your responses. They are very common in astronomy circles and I have several green lasers ($80 a piece) as they are very useful at night for pointing out objects in the sky. Now, I also live below a flight path near PDX. I do take care to avoid planes because the last thing I want is some pilot freaking out that there's a green laser near him and then having the police at my door.
I'd also like to know how you going to get a light shined into a pilot's eyes who is at 1500 feet above you if you're standing on the ground? Think about it - the plane has to be near horizontal with you.
Now, if someone is deliberately trying to do that then I agree a visit is warranted by the authorities. At the same, quit making the assumption that folks with green lasers are up to no good - they might know more about that sky above us then the pilots flying in it and the a.netters who love jumping to conclusions.
SJC4Me From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 366 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2562 times:
Quoting Bok269 (Reply 14): Do anti-laser sunglasses exist?
Probably not, but that would be a heck of an invention! I call patent rights!
DLPMMM From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 3531 posts, RR: 9 Reply 21, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2406 times:
Quoting SJC4Me (Reply 20): Probably not, but that would be a heck of an invention! I call patent rights!
Sorry, but laser protection eyewear has been around for a long time.
Quoting TF39 (Reply 19): I'd also like to know how you going to get a light shined into a pilot's eyes who is at 1500 feet above you if you're standing on the ground? Think about it - the plane has to be near horizontal with you.
Who said the plane was directly above? The idiots doing this that people and pilots are complaining about are not the stargazers, they are intentionally pointing the lasers at planes while on approach/take-off.
Jetblueguy22 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 2021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2157 times:
FlymeFASTER From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 65 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2009 times:
I got laser beamed over Bakersfield in my single-engine recently. They must have had a scope, because they were nailing the cockpit pretty good at about 2000 feet. The police chopper overheard my conversation with approach about it and went out to hunt. Next time this happens I'll divert to get a real accurate GPS reading of where they are. If they don't catch 'em right away, I might even stake out the area to see if I can find them. Then I'll call the authorities, with infrared video evidence in my hands. Ahh to dream!
Bigger planes & bigger windows? Thanks, but I'd rather you fly me faster!
TF39 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 110 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (5 years 3 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1765 times:
Quoting DLPMMM (Reply 21): Who said the plane was directly above? The idiots doing this that people and pilots are complaining about are not the stargazers, they are intentionally pointing the lasers at planes while on approach/take-off.
Hi DLPMMM - if I was reading the original post correctly, the flight levels were 010 and 015. So if they weren't directly above, they were even further away from where a person would be standing. Now, that doesn't excuse their behavior at all and I agree anyone doing this intentionally is an idiot and deserves a visit from the police. What I didn't make clear in my post is the distinction between unintentional and intentional pointing of the device. It could be easy for someone to unintentionally "hit" a plane with these lasers - I have to be careful with the small planes around my house especially when wind muffles the engine sounds. At the same time, to intentionally nail the cockpit and even worse, hit the pilot eyes would require a pretty steady hand. Not saying it can't be done as FlymeFASTER shows, but I'm dubious of reports of lasers being shined in peoples eyes from long distances long enough to cause an incident. However, I'm not sure at what range a <5mW laser would not cause eye damage (I treat mine like a loaded gun and don't point it at anyone). I seen one quick stat that at two miles it's the same intensity as a 100 bulb if direct in you eyes. Again though, it is stupid for someone to deliberately shine these instruments at another person given their power.
25 OPNLguy: Nah... Have the police invest in some laser-guided ordinance for their helicopters, and launch one whenever someone lights-up their laser pointer. No
26 ARFFdude: Had a similar thing happen at my airport. Pilots were reporting getting hit with a laser one night on final. The police choppers based at the field f
27 DLPMMM: I understood your post, I am just a little terse and grumpy by nature. The stargazers with 5mW pointers are not the problem. We have fired a powerful
28 MrBrightSide: Well, I did not expect that a subject of a passion of mine will become first post I do here, but here I go... When it comes to handheld lasers, best i
29 TF39: Hi DLPMMM - Thank you for the information - I didn't realize the extent some folks would go through in order to be so stupid as well as dangerous. p.s
30 CaptSkibi: Polarized glasses are not necessarily a good idea in the cockpit. Some, if not all, of the glass panels are polarized. I know for a fact that the tran
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