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Laser Incidents With Aircraft On the Rise

Posted by Soulskill on from the plays-better-with-cats dept.

EqualSlash writes "High-power laser pointers available for cheap are increasingly finding abuse as the ultimate long-distance weapons of pranksters and vandals. The Federal Aviation Administration says laser events aimed on planes have nearly doubled in the last year, leaping from 1,527 in 2009 to 2,836 in 2010. The highest number of incidents was reported at Los Angeles International Airport, which recorded 102 in 2010. Lasers pointed at cockpits can temporarily blind pilots, forcing them to give up control of an aircraft to their co-pilot or abort a take-off/landing. In March of 2008, unidentified individuals wielding four green laser pointers launched a coordinated attack on six incoming planes at Sydney Airport, which resulted in a ban on all laser pointers in the state of New South Wales."

9 of 546 comments (clear)

  1. Re:sad thing is ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    No joke, once they green the lasers it's all over.

  2. I'll say it. by Kid+Zero · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is why we can't have nice things. Someone always has to be irresponsible.

    1. Re:I'll say it. by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, but your wife is now complaining she can see a green glow in your scrotum.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  3. I've had it.. by Haedrian · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...with these **********ing lasers on this **********ing plane!

  4. Re:Laser Filters? by paul248 · · Score: 3, Funny

    If all you need is a backup set of optics, just make the pilots wear an eyepatch.

  5. Re:How do you hit the cockpit? by Illogical+Spock · · Score: 5, Funny

    You happen to live in Sydney?

    --
    --- Illogical Spock
  6. Re:How do you hit the cockpit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You want to just drive yourself over or do we have to come pick you up?
    -FBI

  7. Re:Accidental? by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    You don't go near airports to watch the stars.

    Yes you do:

    http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2009/08/17/beatles-cp-250-7152353.jpg

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Re:sad thing is ... by Z8 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nice, the story is about lasers dazzling pilots and the most informative thread is about wolf and moose attacks.