Flash Gordon wanna-be gets 2 years in prison for firing laser at police chopper-4 times.

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Las Vegas-- James David Zipf, 30, pleaded guilty in June to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Although no crashes were caused by this utter stupidity, one police helicopter officer reported an injury. The officer reported that he suffered a severe headache from the lasing. Since the FAA started tracking this type of activity in 2005 there has been an 1100%increase

This particular genius was using a blue laser, and I wanted to ask other ATSers out there approximately how powerful this laser was, and could a terrorist ever bring a plane down this way?

I was also trying to figure out how a pilot in a cockpit of a normal jet or prop plane could be affected by someone lasing from the ground. Unless the lasing point was high on a mountain or some tower it would seem rather difficult to hit a pilot's eyes.

Have any ATS pilots ever had this happen to them?

a reply to: georgezip

I own a few powerful lasers and if this guy had a blue one usually those are the 1watt. I own a blue 2w and I can tell you that reflection off a white wall or a light colored wall with no eye protection could blind you. If a reflection off glass or metal hit your eyes you'd be blind. My 2w blue laser can cut things at 50 feet so think about that hitting your eyes. I also use a green one which is more powerful, as home protection if my gun fails.

Edit: I don't think a terrorist could bring a plane down with one, but maybe if he gets lucky and hits both pilots in the eyes and the plane can't land itself.

Dont worry he can escape to that dimension where his powers come from.

this pilot had an extreme laser-pointer situation;

a reply to: georgezip

Ya its no bueno to do this to a pilot. He deserves what he gets.
I'm not so sure about the severe headache being reported as a injury.

And ya I guess a terrorist in theory could take down a bird or plane with this this tatics but I don't know how likely as they could maneuver to where the laser could not affect to the to vision.

a reply to: georgezip

Pilots hit by green lasers have reported taking several days to get full vision back afterwards.

The Man is an obvious idiot. Have to wonder through if indeed a jail sentence would have been handed down without the addition of Police Officers supposed injury. Police always claim assault as it adds weight to the original charge. That being said the fool could have caused a serious accident, or even crash. Sounds like he needs mental help.

a reply to: andy06shake

It's a federal offense to shoot a laser into the cockpit of ANY aircraft, regardless of who owns it. The only thing is that with most aircraft, by the time they report it to the tower, the tower notifies police, and police arrive at where they think the location is, anyone there is long gone.

It's also extremely difficult to nail down exactly where it came from, as so many approach paths take them by houses and apartment buildings, so catching these people is almost impossible, unless they just happen to hit a police helicopter.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Dude seems like a whack job, hopefully they provide the idiot with the mental help he obviously requires while incarcerated. More chance I imagine through of Flash Gordon being mentioned and the poor fool falling victim to some sexual predator who happens to take interest. Sad really, but better than a plane or the like crashing due to this idiots fantasies.

a reply to: andy06shakeIn the article it says he gets to turn himself in anytime before the end of the year, and at that time he will go to rehab first then jail, concurrently. Sounds as if the guy had a pretty good lawyer.

Nice video! Reminds me of a Pink Floyd concert years ago. a reply to: RoScoLaz4

a reply to: georgezip

Very good lawyer indeed, but any 30 year old Man that finds fantasy and amusement from firing beams of light at aircraft will find any amount of incarceration rather troublesome. Better hope it's some kind of psychiatric facility he finds himself serving his sentence.

a reply to: georgezip

From inside an aircraft being hit with lasers -

Thank you for the videos. I imagined coming in on approach and couldn't figure out how a beam could have a path. Duh, forgot about banking! Thanks a reply to: Xcathdra

originally posted by: georgezip
Las Vegas-- James David Zipf, 30, pleaded guilty in June to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.

Good. # him, for being a moron.

originally posted by: georgezip
www.8newsnow.com...

Las Vegas-- James David Zipf, 30, pleaded guilty in June to one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Although no crashes were caused by this utter stupidity, one police helicopter officer reported an injury. The officer reported that he suffered a severe headache from the lasing. Since the FAA started tracking this type of activity in 2005 there has been an 1100%increase

This particular genius was using a blue laser, and I wanted to ask other ATSers out there approximately how powerful this laser was, and could a terrorist ever bring a plane down this way?

I was also trying to figure out how a pilot in a cockpit of a normal jet or prop plane could be affected by someone lasing from the ground. Unless the lasing point was high on a mountain or some tower it would seem rather difficult to hit a pilot's eyes.

Have any ATS pilots ever had this happen to them?

I take it you have never actually shined a laser over an appreciable distance.

What NiZZiM says is spot on, I once had a green laser, and that # was like Star Wars, you could see the beam on a hazy night. Me and a fellow Marine had that green laser, and we were going back to Camp Pendleton after a 96 (from Vegas ironically) and he was playing around with it. It was the winter time and it was snowing on Cajon Pass. He shined the laser out the window into the air and I felt like I was driving the Luxor. The beam was so bright and you could see it all the way to the clouds. But I'm going off topic here.

Go and buy a cheapy laser from Wal Mart, fresh batteries. Now, if you live in a neighborhood, when it gets dark, shine the laser at a house down the block, obviously try not to hit windows.

You will quickly notice that you can still see the point of light even from where you are. This is because a laser, despite how focused it is, will still form a cone. That one MM point at the lasers tip suddenly turns into an inch or more across when it hits a surface a hundred yards away. This is true for all lasers. I imagine the aircraft was much higher than 100 meters, and if he was shining an even more powerful laser, this helicopter pilot probably had a several inch light hitting him in the face. He is flying an aircraft. I will leave you to add 2+2.