New Jet Laser Incident Reported

[Newsjock]

Just because Karl hasn't said it in a few weeks: TERROR! FEAR!
http://wcco.com/topstories/topstories_story_039230548.html

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- The captain of an American Airlines jet reported a laser beam penetrated the cockpit as the plane prepared to land at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The pilot was examined after Sunday night’s incident and doctors found no permanent damage to his eyes. His first officer was flying the plane, which landed safely.

The bright lasers—usually green—can temporarily blind pilots.

The jet was on approach to DFW on a flight from San Antonio when the pilot noted the laser beam for a second or two, Gregg Overman, a member of the Allied Pilots Association, told a television station on Tuesday.

more

[notadmblnd]

1. Aren't there some sort of goggles or glasses that could

protect pilots eyes from lasers?

[Renew Deal]

2. How is it possible to point a laser at the window of a moving jet?

I just don't get that.

[soothsayer]

3. must be damn easy!

no wonder everyone's trying it. the curiousity factor

[MrSlayer]

4. This all seems a bit fishy to me as well.

It would be fairly difficult to get in a position at the airport to affect a pilot's approach to the runway with a laser. The amount of security at airports is rather high.

[The Magistrate]

6. That Depends On The Airport, Sir

Many are by now rather surrounded by tract housing, with homes not too distant from either end of the runways. Doubtless some of these number idiots among their inhabitants.

[MrSlayer]

8. Yes, perhaps I spoke to hastily.

I've only taken into account the airports I have been to. Dallas-Fort Worth being one of them. That particular airport seems to be quite isolated from the populace and you would need to be in a certain position there to shine it in the pilot's eyes. Or an extremely powerful laser.


Love your writing style by the way. I always enjoy your posts.

[The Magistrate]

9. Thank You, Sir

My residence is in Chicago, and both O'Hare and Midway are rather islands in the midst of buildings. Midway actually worries me a little, as a real over-shoot there would be a calamity indeed; there are real urban blocks in easy reach. From your description, it does sound as if someone would have had to exert themselves to contrive this particular incident.

[applegrove]

5. What were they thinking?A beam of light that does not end for sale?

What were they thinking? A beam of light that does not end for sale? Just be sure not to point it at anything - no matter how far away.

I mean who sells these things.Tyko? Perhaps the people are just trying to hang pictures outside and want to make sure the picture is even with ... Mars!!

Would also be so easy to manipulate the news with false little newsbites on such a topic. To keep the worker bees in line (I hear the Queen bees use pheromones in the hive). But I have no doubt that some American actually bought a laser and decided to aim it at a plane in the sky. Happens once a month!!

Notice how when they catch the criminals in these cases - you never hear about it! I guess there are laws that protect juveniles from having their names published – but jesus – you would think they would at least publish the story (sent to bed with no allowance for a year) to make us all feel a little safer.

[soundhead]

7. This is such a bunch of crap

I'd like to see someone accurately point a laser in the window of a moving airliner, especially the sort of lasers that the public has access to. There is one group of people, however, that has access to highly controllable, directional lasers, and that is the US military. This is probably some kind of black-op to keep fear-levels up through the nation. But in truth, who knows what part this plays in some larger scheme the Bush intelligence/military operatives have been told to undertake.

Let's not forget that Bush's dad used to be director of the CIA, and that Cheney used to be the Sec. of Defence.

[cvoogt]

10. green?

Sounds like an argon-ion laser, not exactly the kind easily available to civilians. It's what is often used in laser shows. The other possibility is copper vapor, but that tends to be strong enough to burn holes in steel. This sounds like more than just a laser pointer to me. It would also be easier to point such a beam into a cockpit when pointing from another plane tracking the target plane.

[Ian David]

11. Green laser pointers are everywhere now

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/5a47/

<snip>

Okay, just about everyone has a red laser pointer. Heck, we even sell a fine one here at ThinkGeek. But, we're pretty sure you want to be a superior geek - and doing it with a green laser is the way to go.

This pointer is significantly brighter (about 50 times) than a red laser pointer and because of its unusual color it is much more noticeable. I mean come on, a 532 nm green laser wavelength is obviously superior to a laughable 650 nm red laser wavelength. And unlike a red laser, the green beam itself can be seen in mid-air in dark conditions, not just the laser beam dot. This allows the green laser pointer to be used for pointing to star constellations (skypointing) and also just generally look cool as hell. The green laser beam dot can be seen at much greater distances than with a red laser pointer.

Since green direct injection laser diodes aren't readily available, this pointer is based on the use of Diode Pumped Solid State Frequency Doubled (DPSSFD) laser technology. A high power IR laser diode at 808 nm pumps a tiny block of Nd:YVO4 generating light at 1,064 nm which feeds a KTP intracavity frequency doubler crystal to produce the green beam at 532 nm.

Price: $99.99

Features of this unit include:

* Extremely bright green laser at 532 nm wavelength
* Output power of <5mW (Class IIIa Laser Product)
* Range of approximately 9,000 ft (2600 m) in darkness
* 1.1 mm beam diameter at source
<snip>
* Takes 2 "AAA" batteries (included)
* Class IIIa Laser
* Can be used for skypointing, projection on low clouds, signalling, detecting explosives{detecting explosives??}
<snip>

More
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/5a47/

Trust us... it's damn bright


Scare the neighbors...




More Images:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/5a47/images/22/