Thread: House moves to stop laser targeting of aircraft

WASHINGTON — People who knowingly aim laser pointers at aircraft would be committing a federal crime subject to up to five years in prison under legislation passed by both the House and the Senate.

The House on Monday approved by voice vote the Securing Cockpits Against Laser Pointers Act, a response to a growing number of incidents of pilots being distracted or even temporarily blinded by laser beams and concerns that terrorists might use lasers to bring down aircraft.

The Senate passed the same provision a month ago as an amendment to a Federal Aviation Administration spending bill. The two chambers must now agree on a common format to send it to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The FAA reports that the number of cases of people pointing laser at planes and helicopters jumped from 1,527 in 2009 to 2,836 in 2010. In some cases pilots have had to relinquish control of an aircraft to a co-pilot because of vision loss.

The House bill's sponsor, Republican Dan Lungren of California, said there were only 400 reported incidents in the 15-year period before 2005, when a similar bill passed the House. He said another major concern has been cases of airborne police units being forced to abort crime scene responses because of laser interference.

Law enforcement pilots "have to consider the possibility that they are being illuminated by a laser scope attached to a rifle," Lungren said. He said the shining of lasers at aircraft cockpit was "a tragedy waiting to happen."

House moves to stop laser targeting of aircraft - Politics - msnbc.com

Ok?? First?? Did the lasers have sharks attached to them?? Second, how on earth are they going to know who is painting a plane or helicopter with a laser to enforce this law.. I am not against this law or anything.. I am just at a loss as to how they are going to enforce it..

Flir is their friend. And the sheer stupidity of someone wo would not only endanger an aircraft, but do it from their backyard!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...de/7475530.stm

Well.. I hope those mean they have a means of catching these people.. I would sure hate to be in an airplane that got zapped as they call it..

Originally Posted by MajikMyst

Second, how on earth are they going to know who is painting a plane or helicopter with a laser to enforce this law.. I am not against this law or anything.. I am just at a loss as to how they are going to enforce it..

I suspect the idea is that if someone sees a person playing around with lasers and pointing them toward aircraft, they can report the person and the person can be arrested. Agreed--it's not likely that the aircraft will be able to report an incident and end up with the perpetrator caught, but someone on the ground can report even an attempt. Right now, its actually legal, so a prankster can do this with impunity.