PittsDriver wrote:Glad your ok CFOT. I haven't been lasered but I keep wondering why someone hasn't come up with a safety/reflective coating for glasses. I can only imagine the difficulty of doing this but doesn't the military have laser safe lenses for the HGU's?

Rich

Was looking thru a aviation magazine at the FBO the other day and saw an ad for this: http://www.perriquest.com/laser-defense-eyewear/laser-defense-eyewear/ and this thread came to mind.

Looks like an interesting concept. I have no idea if they work or are any good.

To answer Pittsdriver's question, yes we do have laser lenses for the HGUs.

The problem with laser energy is that you need a certain density filter to attenuate it to a level where it won't damage your eyes. Different lasers operate on different wavelengths and at different power levels, which require different filters. I don't think the tech for a glasses coating exists yet that can cover the gamut.

Later I can send a pic of the glasses we wear during some laser testing we do at work if anyone's curious.


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CamTom12 wrote:Later I can send a pic of the glasses we wear during some laser testing we do at work if anyone's curious.

I am curious! Thanks CamTom12.

CFOT wrote:

CamTom12 wrote:Later I can send a pic of the glasses we wear during some laser testing we do at work if anyone's curious.

I am curious! Thanks CamTom12.

X2

On a side note. I got a little deeper into astronomy last year and one night met up with some other casual observers. They were using green lasers to point out stars, constellations, etc.. We were about ten miles east of KSLC on top of a ridge and with occasional air traffic going over that area. It would have been really easy for them to "point out" an aircraft passing by. They didn't, but it got me wondering how many people just don't think it would cause an issue. I've decided that I'm going to submit a letter to two of the astronomy magazines and see if I can get any traction with them helping educate their readers on this danger. We'll see how it goes.

Rich

Got hit over Shafter, CA about two years ago. Was on FF, so told Bakersfield App; they certainly take it very seriously.

Horrible to hear about such incidents.

I know it is hard to generalize, but have GA laser incidents been increasing, staying the same, or declining in recent years?

Also, are the exposures which have been reported usually a short quick burst, or extended illumination or ?

Finally, regarding the amateur astronomy community. I have been to many astronomy "star parties" and I am glad to report that the folks there are usually very responsible. Any input from the GA community I am sure will be very well received. I have always used a simple flashlight, but then I am old school...really old school... and still have some gear with filament bulbs. Works for me. YMMV.

If they are increasing over the last 10 years or so, which I'm assuming they are, it's likely due to the increased proliferation of high power laser pointers.

It'd be interesting to see a comparison of lasing events against a chart of laser pointer sales or production.


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I got hit over Bakersfield a while ago. My immediate reaction was to turn off all of my lights and once I did that they couldn't track me any more, it was a very dark night.

Super late response but here's that picture that I forgot all about. Me with one of my engineers.

Been lasered a few times...but in reality any laser that is going to do damage to your eyes will not be visible. You may get flashblindness if you stare at the laser. As far as lasting eye issues, you'd have to have a real asshole who knows what they are doing to make that sort of a laser and even then I doubt you'd know it right away. Think and plan this ahead of time that you won't look at a laser. turn off any recog lights(assuming it's safe for you to do so) and it will make you unable to be acquired until you can get out of the area. A little forethought and common sense can get you out of the situation quickly and back on your way

In civilian life, I've been lazed a few times.

On arrival to LAX I thought I was being lazed, turns out it was those stupid Christmas house decoration lasers.


As a military (UH60) pilot, we're lazed quite a bit, while in theatre. The crew chief's 240's lasers are IR, so it doesn't do much good to laze back.
As mentioned, our goggles offer protection from certain lasers (civilian sold variety) but that's a function of the "night vision process", not the coating on the objective lense.

Nark wrote:In civilian life, I've been lazed a few times.

On arrival to LAX I thought I was being lazed, turns out it was those stupid Christmas house decoration lasers.


As a military (UH60) pilot, we're lazed quite a bit, while in theatre. The crew chief's 240's lasers are IR, so it doesn't do much good to laze back.
As mentioned, our goggles offer protection from certain lasers (civilian sold variety) but that's a function of the "night vision process", not the coating on the objective lense.

Welcome Nark!

Did you just buy that 180? If so, congrats! I was ogling that thing when it was on TAP...nice looking buggy!

Bart (fellow fling winger)

I was lazered last summer over the beach here. Was flying at night, and they kept the light on me for quite a while. Called ATC, they gave me a number to call them at later. Gave them a rough estimate on the location, don't know what happened. Didn't hurt my eyes, but did light up the whole cabin. Very tempting to look right at it to see where it was coming from.

I guess I'm somewhat unclear on how much danger lasers really present to pilots. I cary a green light laser specifically to signal aircraft from the ground...that's what it was designed for, marketed as, and it's legal.

I get that there are different powers of laser, but just how dangerous are the little hand-held units to pilots?

On a side note, it was always super-fun when some stupid gettorat would laser the highway patrol chopper... the ship would swoop down with their spotlight on while ground units converged. If the rat ran inside a building it's still fresh pursuit, so doors get kicked and the hunt continues. VERY satisfying!

Hammer wrote:it was always super-fun when some stupid gettorat would laser the highway patrol chopper... the ship would swoop down with their spotlight on while ground units converged.

That happened around here last night. A CHP turned helicopter turned the tables on a car that was lighting him up. Gave pursuit with the spotlight on the target. Suspect vehicle ended up crashing, and they were charged with a felony for lasering the helicopter and possession of drugs among other things....Geniuses!

Visible lasers can absolutely cause damage, but the degree of it varies greatly. The little cat-chaser stuff you buy at box stores could cause damage if you stared into it at close range, but the beam will spread way too much at aviation distances to cause permanent damage. It could, however, cause temporary blindness or disorientation, and that can lead to worse outcomes. Numerous pilots have reported temporary effects from these.

It is also trivially easy to buy handheld diode lasers which are fully capable of burning material and lighting fires, and which have better focus than $3 laser pointers. With sufficient power and narrow beam spread, eye damage is quite possible even a couple thousand feet up. Our eyes are very sensitive organs and it takes surprisingly little to fry them. Obviously the risk of temporary loss of vision also goes up considerably with laser power/quality, with subsequent potential for loss of control at a bad moment.

IR lasers with enough power to do damage are not only harder to come by, but usually industrial in nature, so the chance of someone screwing around with planes is quite low with those. You can buy them online certainly but it’s very unlikely someone would do that just to blind a pilot - not to mention that since the pilot would never see the beam, they would never have cause to stare right at it. The diffuse light bounced around the cabin won’t do anything unless you’re being chased by a laser guided missile at the time.

I with in the jump seat of my companies G5 and while crossing the boarder from the south at maybe 2500-3000ft agl we got hit by a couple green lasers right on the boarder. We notified ATC and their reply was kinda funny, "Yeah, they do that every night, nothing we can do about it". It definitely grabbed our attention as the cockpit lit right up, even looked down for it (kinda hard not to when it happens) and quickly looked away when I realized it was a laser, didn't really lose sight or if I did it only took a second to get it back once I looked away. It was an interesting experience, I had always wondered what it was like. I was at the point where I was going to ask one of my buddies to hit me with one as I flew over his house one night, but my better judgement decided against that.

What do you suppose motivates people to do that?

I doubt its hate (might be).

The 'challenge'? Like target practice maybe?

Mountain Doctor wrote:What do you suppose motivates people to do that?

I doubt its hate (might be).

The 'challenge'? Like target practice maybe?

They own it, are bored, and want to use the toy. Plane/helicopter happens to be flying overhead...

Getting lasered with a powerful laser might mean permanent blindness.

Blindness means I can't fly.

I can't fly means I might as well be dead.

Therefore I say lasering someone is murder. Punish accordingly.