However this time, it is slightly better. I thought since stories of laser-pen misuse are posted a lot in commercial, this would provide for a refreshing read/view. Summing up, they are trailing a police helicopter fitted with equipment that is able to trace the origin and help locate the offender. It also mentions the possible introduction of new laws to help tackle these fools.
The Civil Aviation Authority has set up a task force to respond to the threat of pilots becoming disorientated.
The police have new devices designed to record and analyse laser “strikes” on their aircraft, tracking their source and leading to arrests of attackers.
The BBC gained exclusive access to an exercise trialling these “Laser Event Recorders” carried out by the air support unit of Greater Manchester Police.
The police have had to learn to deal with the attacks — about half of those reported are aimed at their helicopters. In 2003 just three incidents were recorded. Last year there were 207. So far this year, the tally is 76.
The culprits are usually bored youths, who have got hold of a laser pointer and amuse themselves by playing its beam over passing aircraft.
But from now on they are far more likely to get caught, and get sent to prison.
By: steve rowell - 10th April 2009 at 23:19
Cypriot police say pranksters are courting disaster by using powerful lasers at night to blind aircraft pilots over the island’s main airport of Larnaca.
Senior police officer Prodromos Prodromou said Wednesday the laser attacks have targeted the cockpits of low-flying aircraft on four separate occasions over the past 15 days. He says pranksters “don’t realize how catastrophic this can be.”
Prodromou said lasers were shone from different locations several kilometers east of the airport, hitting the cockpit window as the aircraft turned for its final approach.
The most recent incident involving a Greek Aegean Airlines plane occurred around midnight Tuesday.
Prodromou said the culprits could face life in prison on manslaughter charges if they cause an accident
By: andy15star - 10th April 2009 at 21:37
We got hit by one on Tuesday night inbound on finals to RW25 at Newcastle from Bristol. Very bright green laser, probably 6 miles East of the field. There have been other reports from that area. Thing is, you could actually make out the road / cul-de-sac it was on, so i’m not sure why it hasn’t yet been pinpointed !
Cheers,
Andy
By: Newforest - 9th April 2009 at 14:52
So an ‘ordinary’ laser pen has a range of over 1200 feet?:confused:
By: Paul F - 9th April 2009 at 09:56
However this time, it is slightly better. I thought since stories of laser-pen misuse are posted a lot in commercial, this would provide for a refreshing read/view. Summing up, they are trailing a police helicopter fitted with equipment that is able to trace the origin and help locate the offender. It also mentions the possible introduction of new laws to help tackle these fools.
A reality or a piece of PR mainly intended to frighten the laser-wielding idiots off perhaps….?
Unless they have the ability to retrofit such kit to any and every airliner likely to land at any airport that has seen a laser incident then I doubt it’s much more than a token gesture.
However, the deterent effect of hearing a helicopter around may well lead the brainless idiots involved to stop any regular activity of this type :).
Paul F
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April 9, 2009 at 12:31 am