U.S. DOT Launches Laser Illumination Reporting

Unloaded writes "The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new laser warning and reporting system for pilots . The FAA has it's own guidelines for reporting laser illumination." This is a follow up on stories reported earlier.

Comments

How long has this been happening?

[Jerk City Troll]

I was listening to the news (NRP) this morning and the reporter explained how this was a "sudden rash" of activity. But is that really the case? It seems to me that this has been happening for a long time. Laser pointers have been available to the general public for quite some time now. We are supposed to believe that people only got it into their heads to start aiming them at planes and other interesting targets within the past few months?

Re:How long has this been happening?

[spungebob]

We are supposed to believe that people only got it into their heads to start aiming them at planes and other interesting targets within the past few months?

I would say "yes"... not because this hasn't been happening for a long time now, but because the media has finally gotten around to telling the story - and of course they have to tell EVERYONE about it so yes, they're the ones who are now putting the idea into the heads of TONS of goobers who'd never thought of it before. It's your typical self-fulfilling media-fed frenzy where they're reporting on a "sudden rash" that they themselves have helped to create.

Re:How long has this been happening?

[drooling-dog]

But is that really the case?

This entire issue seems a little fishy to me. Laser pointers are not very powerful (as someone else here pointed out), and the accuracy and stability with which someone on the ground would have to hold it in order to keep the (weak and highly diverged) spot on a pilot's retina (in a moving aircraft, no less) for any length of time is very hard to imagine.

But then, I can't think of a reason why the Powers That Be would want to hype the threat, unless a ban on laser pointers was coming for some unrelated and unpublicized reason. Or, perhaps, just to maintain the general level of terror hysteria here in the U.S..

Re:How long has this been happening?

[samantha]

Simple.
a) Appear to be doing SOMETHING to KEEP US SAFE when actually doing worse than nothing;
b) criminalize civilians whenever possible;
c) check just how bloody gullible the public and media is.

Light aircraft?

[FalconZero]

I assume this is for (small) light aircraft, as anything bigger than a sopwith camel either :

• Flys above clouds (if present)
• Doesn't have a flight deck pointing towards the ground (granted they bank, light refects and low angle beams)
• Doesn't hang around if one place long enough for any ground based beam to hit someone eye for more than fractions of a second, so it doesn't matter (unless your talking about one of these)

Anyway.... how long is it before they also recommend, radar and IR detection, as well as chaff and flares for civilian planes?? or perhapse civilian stealth?? [I'd quite like to see a stealth Airbus A380]

teh ghey

[the0ther]

This is so stupid. This laser crap is so blown out of proportion. Wtf is someone going to do with a laser that will take down a commercial airliner? Shine it in the pilot's eye AND the copilots eye AND disable the autopiloting system AND they probably have a way for the tower to land the plane in case of emergency. Anyone who disagrees with me is a scared little wussie and probably voted for Bush, who won mostly because of all the fearmongering leading up to the election. Sheesh.

More security theater!

[Shoten]

Just what the hell is this supposed to accomplish?

"Hey, you just got a laser aimed at the cockpit!" says the computer.

"Great, what are we supposed to do, try to evade it? Somehow, re-enacting the final flight scenes of the movie Top Gun doesn't seem like such a hot idea in a Boeing 757 full of people while we're on a landing approach...and by the way, thanks for the hot tip about that brief blinding flash I just encountered. Glad to know it wasn't just my imagination," says the pilot.

This is such bullshit

[krbvroc1]

Why can't this much effort be expended on creating a reporting and monitoring system for not loosing my luggage? Or how about for increasing on-time flight?. Or modernizing the radar systems?
Some guy in an apartment shines a laser that hits a plane and he's being treated like a terrorist. I haven't seen enough technical info that would convice me that an average laser on the ground would really be capable of causing a real problem. Perhaps outfit the pilots with $10 goggles or something.
Shoulder fired rockets are more likely to be a problem and we haven't spent the money to outfit planes with countermeasures; its cheaper to arrest people for pointing a laser and gives the appearance of being 'tough on terrorism'.

Re:This is such bullshit

[fm6]

Why can't this much effort be expended on creating a reporting and monitoring system for not loosing my luggage?

Because cleaning up a crashed airplane is a lot more hassle than finding missing luggage.

Re:This is such bullshit

[krbvroc1]

Because cleaning up a crashed airplane is a lot more hassle than finding missing luggage.

Yeah but which one occurs more often (if ever). Which one is a likely scenario? People need to put these 'problems' into context. You can't minimize life to a zero risk probability environment - its just not possible. But you should focus on things that matter.

Laser-guided Missiles

[krautcanman]

Maybe laser-guided missiles installed in the planes would be a great deterrent. Shine a laser at the plane, you get a missile at your front door...

Unless you're in China, in which case they crash an old satellite into your apartment living room: http://www.china.org.cn/english/2004/Oct/109656.ht m

Re:Laser Pointers

[ajlitt]

Laser pointers are not explicitly illegal in the USA. The FDA says it's illegal to sell equipment that emits laser radiation and hasn't had a power classification filed. Laser pointers usually come with the FDA warning sticker stating the maximum emitted power. Even CD players, which do not in normal circumstances emit beams from the case, have such a rating.

However, many states have made it illegal to point lasers at oncoming traffic, citing that it distracts drivers and becomes a safety hazard. For the same exact reason, having misaligned headlights is also illegal.

A laser used properly is just like any other potentially hazardous machine. Chainsaws have been used to commit some nasty acts, but nobody would even consider the possibility of banning or tightly regulating them just because they've got a sinister use. [insert gun control rant here]