UPS Pilots and Lazers

[scratch]

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/06/25/police-green-laser-illuminates-cockpit-injures-pilots/

 

[Indecisi0n]

I wish that was the worse thing to happen to me during the workday.

 

[Wally]

What's a Lazer?

 

[brett636]

http://www.pangolin.com/faa/laser-aircraft-animation-and-explanation.htm

When landing, being able to see ahead of you is crucial. Last thing any pilot needs is some jackass with a new toy shining it in their eyes. Its pretty dangerous and stupid to do this, yet people continue to do so. I hope nobody dies over this, but someday someone very well could if people don't wise up and stop.

 

[Babagounj]

http://www.laserpointerpro.com/attribute/color_green-laser-pointers_16

Darn these things are cheap .

I hope they come with a disclaimer about pointing at aircraft .

 

[Jackburton]

What's a Lazer?

Don't lazer me bro.

 

[sailfish]

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/06/25/police-green-laser-illuminates-cockpit-injures-pilots/

Unless these things have some sort of extraordinary range on them that I'm unaware if, I have to wonder why the hell they were flying so low over Martinsburg if they were on their way from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

Unless these things have some sort of extraordinary range on them that I'm unaware if, I have to wonder why the hell they were flying so low over Martinsburg if they were on their way from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.

Judging by the radar data they should have been between 21,000-25,000 feet at that point. Surprisingly not out of the range of some of those laser pointers. Even the smallest ones come with warning labels on them.

Hopefully they catch the fool who did it. Someone is going to crash one day because someone thought it was funny to point one of those things in a cockpit.

 

[illegalcourier]

Sharks with lasers.

 

[Bottom rung]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.

 

[FrigidFTSup]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.

You just point it at the airplane and sometimes it hits the cockpit. Most laser pointers aimed at aircraft don't actually hit the flight deck, or if they do, don't hit the pilots. But they're easy to spot on the ground. Usually you can mark it on your moving map and alert ATC who will then notify law enforcement.

 

[burrheadd]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.

Bounce it off the moon!!

 

[watdaflock?]

Probably a Fed Ex pilot.

 

[dumbmuthertrucker]

http://www.laserpointerpro.com/attribute/color_green-laser-pointers_16

Darn these things are cheap .

Yeah, and they can be modded to increase output very cheaply and easily also.
The thing is, most folks doing this can't actually see if it hits the plane. They may point it to see if it reaches that far, but can't tell if it does. Check out the wiki on this subject, it shows what the pilots see from their perspective. My guess is that the majority of these instances are just kids playing around.

 

[sailfish]

Judging by the radar data they should have been between 21,000-25,000 feet at that point. Surprisingly not out of the range of some of those laser pointers. Even the smallest ones come with warning labels on them.

Hopefully they catch the fool who did it. Someone is going to crash one day because someone thought it was funny to point one of those things in a cockpit.

Interesting. I never would have thought.

 

[moldsporh]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.

It's the spot to distance ratio. Depends on the laser, but they generally increase in size the farther out you go. A plane at 5000 feet or especially higher, will have the entire cockpit engulfed in a blinding light, but you will only see a small dot on your hand because it's close.

It's extremely dangerous and satellites can spot them easily if they are looking for them due to the large target they give at high altitudes.

 

[Bottom rung]

It's the spot to distance ratio. Depends on the laser, but they generally increase in size the farther out you go. A plane at 5000 feet or especially higher, will have the entire cockpit engulfed in a blinding light, but you will only see a small dot on your hand because it's close.

It's extremely dangerous and satellites can spot them easily if they are looking for them due to the large target they give at high altitudes.

Thank you. That's what I was looking for.

 

[rod]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.

Have you ever looked out the window of a plane at night and saw a light down below? Now pretend that is a lazer.

 

[rod]

So....how do they project the laser into a cockpit 20,000 feet above them? I'm assuming the person pointing the laser was on the ground.