Alarming rise in use of lasers that ‘blind’ pilots (From Daily Echo)
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Rise in incidents of lasers shone at aircraft
11:20am Saturday 4th September 2010 in News
Night-time cockpit view
HUNDREDS of lives are being put at risk by the growing number of cases of people using dazzling laser pens to target planes flying into and out of Southampton Airport.
A Daily Echo investigation can reveal vandals have been shining the powerful rays at planes flying as low as 750ft.
The beams can cause temporarily blindness in pilots just as they carry out crucial manoeuvres above Hampshire.
In 2008 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recorded two major incidents. In 2009 this climbed to seven – but so far this year there has been double that number already.
Three have taken place in the past week.
On Monday a laser was shone from Netley at a Bombardier DHC8 making its final approach into the airport.
On Sunday two airliners were deliberately targeted while coming into land, one from the Itchen Bridge and another from Totton.
Captain Bob Jones, head of flight operations at the CAA, condemned the incidents as a “serious risk to all flight safety”.
Comments(21)
Day Dreamer
says...
11:26am Sat 4 Sep 10
Duncan Disorderly
says...
12:08pm Sat 4 Sep 10
downfader
says...
12:41pm Sat 4 Sep 10
MartinWellbourne wrote:Laws are no good without the resources to back them up. IE the Police, the courts, the CPS.
So all the new laws and regulations surrounding these devices must be working then.
.
Its also worth remembering that society isnt as damning of this stuff as it should be. Someone somewhere knows of people doing this stuff, just as with any crime/dangerous activity, and people just turn a blind eye towards it. I think its up to people around the offender to do something just as much as the Law (eg turn them in, or dont give your kids lazer pointers)
MartinWellbourne
says...
2:42pm Sat 4 Sep 10
downfader wrote:What does the Z in lazer stand for?
MartinWellbourne wrote: So all the new laws and regulations surrounding these devices must be working then.Laws are no good without the resources to back them up. IE the Police, the courts, the CPS. . Its also worth remembering that society isnt as damning of this stuff as it should be. Someone somewhere knows of people doing this stuff, just as with any crime/dangerous activity, and people just turn a blind eye towards it. I think its up to people around the offender to do something just as much as the Law (eg turn them in, or dont give your kids lazer pointers)
Poppy22
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3:49pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Peter161067
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4:53pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Balmoral
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5:25pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Propercynic
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6:08pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Peter161067 wrote:Google ads are generated depending on the contents of the web page they are hosted on. It's nothing to do with the Echo at all.
I noticed the 'Ads By Google' part of the page was displaying an advert for high powered laser pens whilst i was reading this story. Well done Echo, highly appropriate!!!!
Peter161067
says...
6:18pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Propercynic wrote:I realise that but its still hosted/linked via the echos site, presumably via some affiliate scheme which earns them money. Cash above principles i reckon
Peter161067 wrote: I noticed the 'Ads By Google' part of the page was displaying an advert for high powered laser pens whilst i was reading this story. Well done Echo, highly appropriate!!!!Google ads are generated depending on the contents of the web page they are hosted on. It's nothing to do with the Echo at all.
MartinWellbourne
says...
7:02pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Propercynic wrote:The Echo choose to supplement their income with such advertisements. Would they place such an ad in the printed edition alongside the story - no.
Peter161067 wrote: I noticed the 'Ads By Google' part of the page was displaying an advert for high powered laser pens whilst i was reading this story. Well done Echo, highly appropriate!!!!Google ads are generated depending on the contents of the web page they are hosted on. It's nothing to do with the Echo at all.
.
The Echo are responsible.
Brite Spark
says...
7:47pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Remember this story from December 2008? Another case of the courts being woefully lenient.
A HAMPSHIRE man who blinded a police plane pilot as he attempted to take off has today been spared an immediate prison term. David Williams shone a laser pen into the cockpit of the force's spotter plane as it left Daedalus airfield in Lee-on-the-Solent. The pilot was temporarily left unable to see by the bright beam aimed at his eyes, and had to climb rapidly after leaving the ground, at around 11pm on June 5.
Officers in the aircraft were able to use its infra-red cameras to find the source of the laser, and alerted colleagues on the ground. Williams, 20, of Cuckoo Lane, Stubbington, was arrested in a nearby park, and later charged with the offence of endangering an aircraft, under the provisions of the Air Navigation Order 2005.
He is the first person in Hampshire ever to face such a charge. Today, Judge Richard Price told Williams, who later admitted the offence, his actions could have killed someone. In mitigation Williams said he had only been messing around with friends and simply hadn't appreciated the dangers of what he was doing.
Sentencing him at Portsmouth Crown Court to six months in prison, suspended for a year, Judge Price said: "The consequences could have been potentially catastrophic."
However, he decided not to immediately jail Williams because he hadn't realised the damage he could have done. "The courts of this country are not in the habit and I hope never will be in the habit of sending young men to prison for doing something stupid but devoid of malice or any intention to do harm," said Judge Price.
freefinker
says...
7:52pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Balmoral wrote:The chain-gang revival idea strike again.
5 years prison term, no parole. Used for labour for the country, no luxuries, just basic food and toiletries.
But toiletries? Are you some sort of softy?
MartinWellbourne
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8:16pm Sat 4 Sep 10
.
Reporters too busy watching BBC1 and ITV1 no doubt.
downfader
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8:20pm Sat 4 Sep 10
MartinWellbourne wrote:No, they've been watchingTop Gear on Dave. ;-)
On the subject of aircraft - the Echo still not reporting the fatal air crash on the Isle of Wight earlier this evening. . Reporters too busy watching BBC1 and ITV1 no doubt.
MartinWellbourne
says...
8:25pm Sat 4 Sep 10
downfader wrote:He, he. The next news is at 22:15 on BBC1 - wait until the Echo reporter sees what they lead with and then places the breaking news here at 22:30.
MartinWellbourne wrote: On the subject of aircraft - the Echo still not reporting the fatal air crash on the Isle of Wight earlier this evening. . Reporters too busy watching BBC1 and ITV1 no doubt.No, they've been watchingTop Gear on Dave. ;-)
.
The Echo is on its last legs.
PhoenixLives
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10:06pm Sat 4 Sep 10
OSPREYSAINT
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11:32pm Sat 4 Sep 10
Poppy22 wrote:Give it a rest, this old chestnut has been done to death, the majority of buildings have gone up long after the airport was developed, if a laser pen causes a disaster you cannot blame the airlines or the airport.
And they're talking of increasing flights out of the airport, in such a built-up area as we have. Little or no concern for people's safety then, either on a plane or on the ground, and it's all about maximising income for the airport. We only need 1 catastrophe caused by these laser pens to prove the point!
Greyhound1405
says...
1:36pm Sun 5 Sep 10
Of the Ilk
says...
3:55pm Sun 5 Sep 10
MartinWellbourne wrote:There isn't a 'Z' in laser - it's an 'S'
downfader wrote:What does the Z in lazer stand for?
MartinWellbourne wrote: So all the new laws and regulations surrounding these devices must be working then.Laws are no good without the resources to back them up. IE the Police, the courts, the CPS. . Its also worth remembering that society isnt as damning of this stuff as it should be. Someone somewhere knows of people doing this stuff, just as with any crime/dangerous activity, and people just turn a blind eye towards it. I think its up to people around the offender to do something just as much as the Law (eg turn them in, or dont give your kids lazer pointers)
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
mumof2boys
says...
6:56pm Sun 5 Sep 10
The courts should throw the book at them. They have the potential to kill hundreds of innocent people - men, women and children. This is just the same as terrorists do.
MartinWellbourne says...
11:23am Sat 4 Sep 10