http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/24940102/detail.html
QuoteOwning a handheld laser is not illegal, but shining it into a cockpit is a federal crime because the pilots use night vision goggles and the laser can blind a person in a quarter of a second.
Emphasis mine.
Is it really true that commercial & private pilots are using night vision goggles, and that is why the lasers are a problem? I had never heard of non-military pilots using night vision so I wanted to check with a few aviation folks to find out what's what.
The lasers are dangerous period. Why would the average commercial pilot wear NVGs?
Talk about making stuff up...
Did you actually read the story?
QuoteHARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Authorities said one person is being questioned in connection with two instances in which a handheld laser was aimed at the cockpit of two aircraft near Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.
The aircraft in question are US Border Patrol, which do use NVGs.
most medivac aka medflight lifeflight helicopter pilots etc wear NVG's
turns out its safer then having some firefighter with glow sticks try and marshal him in the middle of the night on a dark LZ
Quote from: N Harmon on September 09, 2010, 08:27:38 PM
Did you actually read the story?
QuoteHARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Authorities said one person is being questioned in connection with two instances in which a handheld laser was aimed at the cockpit of two aircraft near Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.
The aircraft in question are US Border Patrol, which do use NVGs.
Ah, I didn't see that part, that makes more sense.
I got "lasered" last month going into Vegas. The FBI is investigating. There is an AC out on laser events. You can search for it. I keep a copy in my flight bag.
Out of curiosity, what actually did it do? I've seen everything from lighting up the whole cockpit to "it's a nuisance", I'm not denying it, but I'm in awe that the angles from the ground work well enough to get into the cockpit since you're above the curve in the fuselage from most angles. Though I guess when executing a bank, you could be open to direct vulnerability, or really short final where someone from a high-rise building might be level.
Get hold of a laser pointer, and play with it on your windows. The beam will reflect back and forth inside the glass, similar to what happens in fibre optics, and can make the whole pane light up. The thicker the glass, the more prominent the effect. Edge lighted acrylic does the same thing.
Why not mandate that in a two pilot aircraft that one of them wears laser safety glasses during low level night flight? That way if the guy flying gets blinded the other guy should be able to safely fly the aircraft.