Laser attacks on the rise! Be afraid!

V4NT0M · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:41

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8304041.stm?ls

Admittedly not as interesting as it sounds, just thought I would grab some headlines.

Skully · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:44

I like my red laser.

antijoke · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:44

Pew pew.

Fenris · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:47

IMMA CHARGIN MAH LA.....eugh.

Quite clever really, however I would be amazed if a pilot actualy was caused problems by this, I mean the chance of the lazer catching the eye of a pilot is very low, as is the chance of it having enough effect to cause an incident, I mean I imagine most pilots aren't the type to go "ARGH MY EYES! I MUST FLAIL AROUND KNCOKING INSTRUMENTS UNTIL I AM BETTER!".

Amp34 · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:50

Thing is I bet most don't realise it would be a problem.

The Dread Pirate · 13 Oct 2009 at 15:53

So long as it's not Shark with laser beams attached to their heads attacks it's all good!

PhillyDee · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:09

Fenris said:
IMMA CHARGIN MAH LA.....eugh.

Quite clever really, however I would be amazed if a pilot actualy was caused problems by this, I mean the chance of the lazer catching the eye of a pilot is very low, as is the chance of it having enough effect to cause an incident, I mean I imagine most pilots aren't the type to go "ARGH MY EYES! I MUST FLAIL AROUND KNCOKING INSTRUMENTS UNTIL I AM BETTER!".

Have you seen the 'splash' of a laser when its aimed at half a mile away, it can be easily as wide as 2-3 metres. You dont need to shine it directly into the pilots eyes, its also possible to hit the windshield and it will diffract around the cabin.

ringo747 · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:13

Fenris said:
IMMA CHARGIN MAH LA.....eugh.

Quite clever really, however I would be amazed if a pilot actualy was caused problems by this, I mean the chance of the lazer catching the eye of a pilot is very low, as is the chance of it having enough effect to cause an incident, I mean I imagine most pilots aren't the type to go "ARGH MY EYES! I MUST FLAIL AROUND KNCOKING INSTRUMENTS UNTIL I AM BETTER!".

You obviously didn't see the report on BBC Breakfast this morning - makes a huge distraction on the flightdeck and when your on final approach any distractions make things very dangerous.

Andy90 · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:16

Fenris said:
IMMA CHARGIN MAH LA.....eugh.

Quite clever really, however I would be amazed if a pilot actualy was caused problems by this, I mean the chance of the lazer catching the eye of a pilot is very low, as is the chance of it having enough effect to cause an incident, I mean I imagine most pilots aren't the type to go "ARGH MY EYES! I MUST FLAIL AROUND KNCOKING INSTRUMENTS UNTIL I AM BETTER!".

Watch the video in the OP's link. At the 58 second mark they show you the effects inside a Police Helicopter of a green laser shone from the ground. Its quite surprising how wide and bright the flash is.

There have been quite a few cases in the past of motorists being temporarily blinded by idiots shining lasers at them. Now imagine that it isn't a car doing 30 mph down a road that goes out of control (though lord knows thats bad enough) but an Airbus A320 with a few hundred passengers and a few tanks full of fuel going out of control heading into say Liverpool or Manchester Airports (directly over Housing estates). The resultant carnage would be too horrible to think about.

Building Candy · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:16

that said:

Athens - Pilots on Wednesday have called on Greek authorities to severely punish individuals interfering with the safety of aircraft following a spate of incidents in which pilots have been temporarily blinded by laser pointers. Several pilots have recently reported high-intensity lasers being shone into their cockpits during take-offs and landings and have warned of a possible crash taking place.

The latest incident occurred over the weekend when two boys, aged 13 and 14, forced a pilot to abandon a landing at the airport on the Dodecannese island of Rhodes because they aimed a high-powered hand laser at the airplane's cockpit.

The two boys and their parents were arrested

source: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/...of-crash-after-blinded-by-laser-pointers.html

Berserker · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:20

Fenris said:
Quite clever really

It's neither big nor clever.

however I would be amazed if a pilot actualy was caused problems by this, I mean the chance of the lazer catching the eye of a pilot is very low, as is the chance of it having enough effect to cause an incident, I mean I imagine most pilots aren't the type to go "ARGH MY EYES! I MUST FLAIL AROUND KNCOKING INSTRUMENTS UNTIL I AM BETTER!".

Then be amazed. It's possible to bounce laser beams off the moon. Now admittedly the laser required to do that is rather more powerful than the handheld type, but the principle is exactly the same.

Capn' $qu!ff said:
So long as it's not Shark with laser beams attached to their heads attacks it's all good!

Ah yes, though the Pygmies won't be happy!

Auraomega · 13 Oct 2009 at 17:17

Back at college my physics teacher told us of a case where a bus driver was left blinded in 1 eye due to having a red laser shone at him, I'm going to see if I can find anything to back this up, however having a laser shone at me in the past I can quite easily say the effects are startling.

EDIT:
Random link I found, not the greatest, but meh -> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/laser-attack-1292168.html

NickK · 13 Oct 2009 at 17:26

Police tend to treat this as a major offence, on the same level as a terrorist attack from my understanding.

Dr.EM · 13 Oct 2009 at 17:31

Is this idiots with laser pens? I've never approved of them being so readily available and some of the ones around now are genuinely dangerous items (ie, high output blue ones). I see so many guides on youtube about assembling them from blu-ray drives and burners now too, which creates a highly dangerous beam. I don't suppose it'll be long before the law toughens up on these either way.

WARHURYEAH · 13 Oct 2009 at 17:35

If anyone gets caught doing this and someone gets hurt or killed, god help them, I think the entire world would hate such a person who was "'Avin a larf' wit' mah mates, innit"

"andy" · 13 Oct 2009 at 17:40

doesnt the autopilot land most of them anyway ?

silly people who do it though. and its good to see correct kind of punishments been given out for once (the guy sent to jail)

Energize · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:39

Replace the windows with lcd's, problem solved. :cool:

neodude · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:43

"andy" said:
doesnt the autopilot land most of them anyway ?

silly people who do it though. and its good to see correct kind of punishments been given out for once (the guy sent to jail)

Autopilot usually flies the approach down to minimums and then the pilot takes over for the landing. Exceptions to this are when a full autoland is required for crew or equipment currency.

J1234 · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:52

Shouldn't be a problem, most pilots just use Cat III and just carry on reading the newspaper and sipping coffee whilst the landing is made.

agnes · 13 Oct 2009 at 19:48

People don't realise that lasers are a very strong concentrated beam of light, they can cause some serious damage. I for one don't play with them anymore as I almost blind my mate messing about when I was a teenager and you was able to pick them up from the shops!

ags