• 09
  • June
    2011

Some people believe that pointing a laser at an airplane would not cause a plane crash. The FAA is taking exception to that belief by announcing fines of up to $11,000 per violation for anyone caught aiming a laser device at an airplane.

When a commercial plane crash occurs, the aftermath can be devastating. Hundreds of passengers can be injured or even killed in an accident. Pilots need to be able to focus without any interference. Current federal regulations make it illegal to interfere with the operation of any commercial aircraft and now laser pointers are considered interference.

You may think that the concern is regarding the lasers that people use in conferences or to point at the board in a classroom. But these lasers are actually much more powerful and can be used to point at stars. The laser is so powerful that it can even cause temporary blindness.

This year, there have been reports of over 1,100 incidents of laser light beamed into aircraft cockpits, temporarily blinding flight crews. The number of incidents has been increasing over the past several years, partly because the powerful lasers can be ordered online. In 2005, there were less than 300 cases reported. By 2010, the number of laser pointing incidents had risen to over 2,800 nationwide.

One pilot's experience with a laser occurred in the cockpit several thousand feet in the air over the airport. The pilot had to cover his eyes while the co-pilot ducked beneath the glare shield. The plane had been on autopilot; had the plane been in the process of landing, the results could have been catastrophic.

Many state and local laws already make it illegal to point lasers at planes. Penalties can include a prison sentence. Both the U.S. House and Senate have passed legislation making the practice and use of such lasers a federal crime punishable by a prison term of up to five years.

Source: St. Louis Today online, "FAA to fine people who point lasers at planes," Joan Lowy, 02 June 2011