I’m the laser expert, you guys are not... Obviously
I’ve been working with and building lasers for over 30 years.
Why do you suppose our military aircraft has not been effected by these things in Iran and Afghanistan?
It is true that you can buy a 3000 MW laser (red, green or blue)on eBay for $40, that can run from a “d” cell. It’s even legal to buy them. Even if they wanted to outlaw them, a Blur ray CD player contains one and there have been millions of them manufactured and distributed.
The fact is that even though they are dangerous, some (the IR variety) are very dangerous close up. they are of little use for a terrorist weapon.
If you want to believe the hype in the media, that’s quite OK with me.
I did not advocate at all that they should be outlawed.
Eye damage can be done by the green laser easier than a nice little red one. The fact that the eye is dark adapted AND that the macula is peaked in the green (587 nm) contributes greatly. The IR output of most green lasers is substantial but is usually absorbed but the plastic of the planes windshield. And a side point...just because you work with and build lasers does not make you an expert on eye damage. Most of our pilots for the military fly with eye protection in place which is why they have not been bothered. I know it is hard to be an expert and not have everything you think be true. You will survive
Can't just gracefully admit you jumped too fast and without thinking?
It' really simple - any bright light introduced to the eye (and the eye cannot react faster than light to protect itself) can diminish visual acutity for a varying period of time, which can cause potential danger if a pilot's vision is compromised. Just because the laser "isn't powerful enough to cause damage" doesn't mean squat - a co-worker suffered burn from such a laser when it caught his eyeglasses and evidently got focused a bit tighter. You may be an "expert" in lasers, but you obviously aren't an expert in how they can affect the human eye or how a simple thing like a piece of glass, with a small defect can increase the effective strength like a magnifying glass focuses light.
You are not a laser expert. If you were, you would know what flash blindness is.
Tell you what, Mr. Laser Expert. If you are so sure of yourself, go sit in a darkened room for 20 minutes and then have someone shine a green laser pointer at your face and tell me what happens next.
“I’m the laser expert, you guys are not... Obviously”
Obviously not an expert laser guy, much less an expert on the affects of lasers on night vision, piloting airplanes, human factors engineering, or much else. Green lasers availble retail have been known to temporarily blind and confuse a pilot, and an airplane on approach doesn’t all day to recover from vision failures.
Sorry, but for such a self-professed expert, you’re an ignorant idiot.