[ml/nj]

These laser-in-the-eyes-of-a-pilot strike me as BS. Pilots are focused on the numbers on the runway if they can see the runway at all. Planes are approaching the runway at about 150 MPH, and have pretty poor to nonexistent visibility forward and down. Aiming a small dot from the ground that might ever do anything other than be a millisecond flash into a cockpit, let alone a pilots eye's, just isn't possible without some sort of sophisticated computer tracking and control system.

ML/NJ

[PackerBoy]

I thought that, too. But a pilot told me that the sall beam disperses a bit at altitude, and is often still strong enough to bathe the cockpit in a very distracting light that can make it difficut to read instruments at a crucial time.

[raybbr]

These laser-in-the-eyes-of-a-pilot strike me as BS. Pilots are focused on the numbers on the runway if they can see the runway at all. Planes are approaching the runway at about 150 MPH, and have pretty poor to nonexistent visibility forward and down. Aiming a small dot from the ground that might ever do anything other than be a millisecond flash into a cockpit, let alone a pilots eye's, just isn't possible without some sort of sophisticated computer tracking and control system.

I agree. Aren't the planes essentially pointing up just before landing? The angle of attack of the laser would have to be about 10 to 15 degrees up in order for it to make into the cockpit at pilot eye level. That would be it would have to be sited at a very large distance and held completely steady for it work.

The chances of a single millisecond long flash is possible but even that would be extremely hard to do.

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

Mark me down as a skeptic. How can we be certain it was even a lasar beam? Although I have no degree in optics, I know that sunlight can reflect in unexpected ways.

Or, it could have been the Green Lantern...

[mamelukesabre]

Ha!

That sophisticated computer tracking and control is otherwise known as hand eye coordination. Have you ever heard of diffraction and reflection? the laser is going to light up the glass and bounce around off of shiny stuff. And what makes you think a person with a laser has to be standing directly under the plane?

[diogenes ghost]

"These laser-in-the-eyes-of-a-pilot strike me as BS."

Me too.

Last fall, my brother-in-law was playing in his yard with his grandkids about 9 PM. He was shining a green laser pointer at structures about 1/2 mile away, where I was. It illuminated about all of a house at a time, bathing it in a slightly greenish light. Looking at the laser from 1/2 mile away caused no discomfort at all.

You gotta assume these 'civil use' lasers are pretty harmless...kids get hold of them all the time.. and when have you read about injuries sustained at short range, let alone a mile or two away?

[alvin_platinga]

afraid not:

1.pilots fly standard departures and arrivals off of approach plates, which is publicly available information (the Jeppesen variety, anyway). reading one will tell you where an aircraft will be, at what altitude, and roughly what time, on an approach.

2. ATC conducts business on an unsecured vhf radio, and that pilots are instructed by tower to report/confirm landing configuration at the final approach fix, a point in space that is defined very clearly on an approach plate.

3. airplanes fly in knots (indicated, and otherwise), not miles per hour, although i will grant you that 150 is pretty close; it's all relative to landing data.

4. it's becoming increasingly standard to wear these in military aviation (depending where you are): http://www.flickr.com/photos/peosoldier/3882298084/

5. oh, and i’ve been lazed.

[StolarStorm]

I guess all these geniuses here know more than the homeland security department and airline safety experts who have already provided warnings regarding this issue.