Posted on 12/29/2004 1:24:44 PM PST by esryle
CLEVELAND -- The FBI is investigating a laser light beam that was directed into the cockpit of a commercial airliner landing in Cleveland.
The FBI says the airplane arriving from Washington, D.C. on Monday was about 15 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport when a green laser shined inside the cockpit.
The plane was traveling 300 mph at 8,500 to 10,000 feet.
The light came from a residential area in suburban Warrensville Heights. The FBI is investigating whether it was a prank or whether there was another motive.
There have been several incidents throughout the United States in the past year of laser lights directed at commercial flights. The lights can distract or temporarily blind a pilot.
None of the lights has affected the flight of any aircraft or injured the pilots.
Federal Aviation Administration regulations mandate that laser light shows must register their locations and the lights cannot be directed above 3,000 feet.
It is against federal regulations to intentionally shine a laser beam at a commercial flight.
Anyone who has information which could help identify the person or people responsible for shining the laser on Monday should call the FBI at (216) 522-1400.
That would be a YAG laser. I've got one. VERY bright and about 4+ times the power of a normal red laser. They have a range of two to three miles and are a lot of fun. Cost $89 and up.
There is even a cottage industry of modifying the things for power outputs in the 100+ milliwatt range.
It's not going to be nearly as much fun playing with the cat when this happens.
I just don't understand this. Think about the angle you would have to be at in relation to the cockpit, with the distance away to even have a shot at making that angle, and fiqure in the speed.
Not just point at an object, but keep it directed into the cockpit window long enough for a crew member to even detect it? Do airliners have laser detectors in the cockpit today? Unless the beam has a fairly complex focusing system and tracking system, I don't see how it could be done either. One could be built for a few thousand dollars, but your not going to do this with what one would buy at an office supply store. There must be more to this story.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide Laser Target Locator Systems
APOPKA, Fla., Dec. 11, 2002 -- The U.S. Air Force has chosen to equip its Tactical Air Control Party personnel with the latest in handheld laser targeting technology -- the Mark VII eyesafe laser target locator produced by Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Defensive Systems Division here.
The Air Force awarded a follow-on contract worth $12.9 million to Northrop Grumman for 290 Mark VII laser target locator systems. This latest contract is expected to run through June 2004. Delivery is nearly complete for a previous Air Force order for 186 Mark VII units.
"This follow-on order solidifies the Mark VII's status as the target location technology of choice for day and night operations by forward observers, air controllers and long-range reconnaissance patrols," said Bob Del Boca, vice president, Infrared Countermeasures and Laser Systems, at Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division. "The contract also demonstrates the confidence our customers have in the targeting capabilities provided by the Mark VII system."
The Mark VII is a lightweight, handheld target location system with an eyesafe laser rangefinder and switchable direct view and image intensifier capability. The system also features an imbedded digital magnetic compass that provides range, azimuth and elevation digital data output for accurate target location determination. Mark VII units are currently deployed by the U.S. military and the armed forces of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic.
The Mark VII system is produced by Northrop Grumman's Laser Systems business unit in Apopka, Fla., one of the world's leading manufacturers of military laser systems. These include ground-based (vehicle mounted and handheld) laser rangefinders for target location (both eyesafe and non-eyesafe), laser designators/markers for precise guidance of smart munitions, and airborne laser rangefinders and designators fielded onboard many of the world's most sophisticated fighter aircraft.
The Defensive Systems Division is a component of Northrop Grumman's Baltimore, Md.-based Electronic Systems sector, a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems including airborne radar systems, navigation systems, electronic warfare systems, precision weapons, airspace management systems, air defense systems, communications systems, space systems, marine systems, oceanic and naval systems, logistics systems, and government systems.
Members of the news media may receive our releases via e-mail by registering at: http://www.northropgrumman.com/cgi-bin/regist_form.cgi
LEARN MORE ABOUT US: Northrop Grumman news releases, product information, photos and video clips are available on the Internet at: http://www.northropgrumman.com. Information specific to the Electronic Systems sector is available at: http://sensor.northropgrumman.com/
CONTACT: Katie Lamb
(847) 259-9600, ext. 5266
http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_printer.mhtml?d=34685&print=1
Could be a practice run or runs for some type of terrorist plot or just a scare tactic. You would have to know what you are doing to be so pin point on that fast of moving object or they have it hooked up to a laptop and are using something similar to GS tracking but still that couldn't be that simple. Don't know whether to laugh or run and hide.
Virtually any laser pointer device in any office store or your local hardware store will go vastly farther than one mile. Take any one of these sears laser levels out on a straight dark road away from traffic, and aim it at highway signs progressivly further down the road any you will see these signs brilliantly reflect the light, even when they are over a mile away.
Apparently a green beam works better than red or orange during daylight.
Below 18K feet 250 mph I believe. Heck where is my air reg book?
Okay, this is just plain scary. do I order the eyesafe or non-eyesafe model. Could the beam then be seem by others on the ground if the pilots saw it and they know the direction, were their any eyewitness reports?
Soon we'll have a truly safe environment, where everything that is not mandatory is forbidden.
Tripod and telescope.
250 below 10k
Does anyone else remember the Navy pilot that had his eye damaged by a laser fired from Russian ship 5-7 years ago?
Interesting .... bump
Yes, I do. There is a summation at the link where I pulled the picture of the laser blinder:
http://www.asianpacificpost.com/news/article/287.html
Apparently you have never been up wind of an active runway and seen the conga line of planes coming in on the glide path. Their landing lights look like they are absolutely fixed in the sky, not moving at all because they are approaching you head on.
At any large airport there is a steady line of such planes coming in nose down, in a predictable and rather precise approach path. You have target after target to practice with.
Just rubber band your laser pointer on your tripod and point it back up the glide path from a mile off the opposite end of the runway and you don't even have to BE THERE when some plane just happens to hit the beam spot on.
Crap. I can't remember anything. Since most of the planes I fly would have to be in a steep dive to reach 150 no big deal. I spend half of my time below 2000 agl anyway at 75 to 110.
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