Lasers Close Flight Path

There's one particular type that they are using that is used by astronomers and others, that is powerful enough to cause retinal damage, and will reach very far. It's a two mile long beam. In January of 2005, there were 30 incidents reported. It's still happening, it just stopped being reported by the media. From the early 1990s, until Jan 2005 there were more than 400 incidents reported.

pretty ridiculous you all argue about if the "item" used should be banned and not the PEOPLE using them. RETARDED debate here!! gun, laser, stick, fork, finger, BAN THIS!!!! come on!! Find out who did/does it and um, let justice be served instead of freedoms TAKEN!

And how exactly are you planning to do that? Let's say there are 10 apartment buildings near the runway. The pilots are able to narrow it down to have come from one or two buildings. One building has 10 floors, with 30 apartents per floor, the other one has 15 floors with 20 on each floor. We can narrow it down to the ones facing the runway, or having line of sight to the approach path, but that still leaves a LOT of apartments. You are going to have to search each one, for a pointer no bigger than a pen, that could have been dropped off the balcony and is gone forever. How exactly are you planning to catch the person that did it?

reply to post by KanehBosm


There's a fine, fine line between allowing freedom and permitting dangerous or harmful behaviour.

Guns step over that line in my opinion as do lasers of this strength.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
So you think it's right to take those "toys" and blind pilots that are trying to land a planeload of people safely? There has been at least one pilot that was hit by one of those lasers that was having trouble seeing HOURS after the attack was over. Yes, they're toys, but when you use them to endanger what could be hundreds of people they aren't toys anymore.

I don't think you realize that these are green lasers. Not the toy variety we have all come to know and love.

These are much more expensive.

I can't help to note how no one is even speculating on who this might be. It just seems like a rant about rights etc.


Who the heck is doing this? It has been happening in the US for some time now in isolated (non-cluster) scenarios. All of them Green Lasers.


Why would someone do this. Is it anymore than a prank?

They've come WAY down in price, which is why there are so many more of them out on the market. They started out a few hundred dollars, you can get them now for $39.50 for one that has an output of

Let's face it, you can get cute laser fingers for $2 these days. I have bought everyone I know these for fun on New Years. But, after new years i decided to scare the kids and shone the red one into my mouth and it hurt for a good day after that, as if it had burnt my tongue.
Then last week, one of the kids came home with a laser "gun" and we went outside and shone it on the trees and it was very powerful.
They are cheap and they are everywhere and kids have them.

I now think they are dangerous.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Hello Zaph...how you holding up?

I've read through most posts here...while I've never experienced a laser 'event' we did receive warnings periodically whenever a 'rash' of occurences happened. The best defense for pilots was to recognize, and take care to avoid looking back at the laser, if memory serves.

Not sure why SYD, of all places?? The USA is hated all over the world, Aussies are beloved! Could it be young pranksters, thinking they'd get jollies over it?

Once established on the ILS, and cleared for the Approach, if a laser is being shot into the cockpit a pilot can keep attention focused directly on the instrument panel and avoid being distracted...and, Zaph, as you said, depending on where they are at the time they can always execute a Missed Approach, begin a climb away from the ground, and the danger, and decide to request another runway (if wind permits) or even divert to an alternate.

My guess is, there will be a renewed focus on educating pilots (again) since these shenanagins seem to crop up, they get attention, then they die out. I dould be wrong about whether it's hooligans, or not...but that's my gut feeling.

Take care, Z!

Before lasers it was go-peds. The go-peds (scooters) were way overpriced and little rich kids with no brain power would get thier parents to get one. Then they banned em because kids rode em in traffic with othe stupid people, did stunts or just revved it for too long infront of old folks homes.

Now the expensive toys are green laser pointers and the same type of people will buy these and think they are signaling a UFO or blinding a pilot hoping to have some form of entertainment.

To fix this mess, they can study what colour the beam was in most cases (probably green) and get each pilot a pair of $50 green blocking laser goggles (532-536nm wavelength). To be sure though they could coat the goggles for 535nm (green) 1064(IR) and 808nm(IR) as all the powerfull laser pointers make these wavelengths. Those goggles would cost about $150-250 each.

As for laser pointers not being a weapon because it doesn't "harm" you, close your eyes and go to work, work, eat and in general, try to have a normal life. Your life as you know it will end, it will be like you just lost the use of your body.

Banning inconsiderate and ignorant people would be alot better as they will use all objects in an irresponsible harmful way (including hot coffee!). They could never ban hot coffee or toasters and butter knives.


EDIT: BTW $5 laser pointers are not going to cause blindness as they are under 10mW, they will only be a distraction. Its the green lasers that output over 100mW thats the problem. ANY colour over 100mW is going to damage your eyesight. Green laser pointers that are under 10mW is safe.
Any green laser pointer over 100mW will be a bit expensive, $80 and up. They do go upto 350mW in power and those cost over $350.

[edit on 30-3-2008 by XL5]

The solution is not to ban the laser but rather to improve the glass on the front of the planes, or provide goggles (yes they make ones that'll go over glasses) that will prevent eye injury. There are solutions already on the market for protective goggles and other eyewear that protect the eyes from places like Kentek Laser Store (Google It) or see link:

Kentek Laser Store

The point is, even if the pilots go to the trouble of putting on goggles for takeoffs and landings, it's by far the most simple solution to this rare problem. Banning anything is a totalitarian knee-jerk reaction that should be avoided at all costs. Just look at what the attacks of 9/11 got us when people over reacted. We now have the most horrible experiences at the airport, when the only real solution was the strengthening of the cockpit doors to prevent breach(which they did).

reply to post by weedwhacker


Hey WW. I'm still here. Dealing with some bad stuff, or trying to anyway, but hanging in there.

I thought about bringing your attention to this thread to see if this ever happened to you, or someone you knew. Glad to see you found it. It's been happening everywhere, and in staggering numbers. Over 400 events in less than 15 years, and I don't know how many since then. And those are only reported events.

Here is a local Australian website that supplies the laser pointers.

I'm not sure why the newspaper article reported that the Minister wanted to ban importing lasers, if we have local retailers? Does he intend to shut down these retailers from selling the laser pointers by banning them from being imported? Nuts. I don't know if any of them are locally manufactured and sold within Australia?

reply to post by Zaphod58


Sorry, Z...have seen your thread in the Board Biz area...

I truly hope things take a turn for you in a good way, and can't think of anything else to say that wouldn't sound trite...just wish you the best.

WW

Originally posted by weedwhacker
Not sure why SYD, of all places?? The USA is hated all over the world, Aussies are beloved! Could it be young pranksters, thinking they'd get jollies over it?

Sydney is a hole in the Earth, that's why! You wouldn't get this type of behaviour in Melbourne!!!

Seriously though, Sydney airport is built with the city surrounding it. There's more opportunity to hide amongst buildings for a plane making final approach to be targetted. Melbourne airport still has open areas of surrounding vacant land, with fewer houses along the final approach corridors. Who knows why irresponsible punks do what they do?

Not all Aussies are loved, weedwhacker! I know that I'm despised by my fair share of internet 'foes'.

I believe that the losers who do these things (the lasers and dropping things off bridges into traffic) and are caught should be charged with attempted murder. No questions.

Put it all over the news, papers, radio, etc for weeks and then make a few examples. Maybe it will put others off when they find out that they run the risk of spending some time learning why it is called the 'slammer'.

In my country laser pointers have been banned for ages because of their potential use as a weapon.

Only ''authorized'' people are allowed to use them lol. (Though these usually include teachers and the such.)

I once went to a masterclass about lasers, and they had a blue laser as well there. The guy who showed us around held a piece of white paper in front of the beam and HOLY CRAP, it was like looking at a miniature blue sun with a giant aura-like ring around it.

It was like the laser came from the white paper rather than from it's original source lol, so I think that strong lasers should be banned unless you have good reason to have them.

Our country works like this as well, you can ask for permission to hold this or that, because you use it for your occupation or w/e.

I have the solution! Laser guided bomb, No not a big one just one that will quietly ride the laser down and explode a giant sticky paint type dye that will cover the terrorist in it and make them easy to find.

Now that would be funny to see on Youtube!!!

A simple look on toutube and you can find ways to make your own lasers with small mag lights and dvd burners.

Should we then ban cd burners? As many of you have already mentioned, it is not the tool itself but the person using it.

Banning objects simply create black markets where the criminals just get more money.

Finding a cost effective solution to prevent the lasers from entering the cockpit in the first place is the only solution.

reply to post by Tybrus


If the tool is easily accessible more people will use it, which will most likely increase the total number of misuses too.

Yes, I would apply this to guns too. Calling them tools is usually an attempt to dodge the fact that they're devices engineered to kill.

[edit on 30/3/08 by Duality]