Northwarks Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 The press have run with the story this morning, so a New York bound flight from Heathrow was diverted as a precaution because one of the pilots had his vision impaired by a laser - I have to say I'm baffled, I own a laser pen and use it in presentations and in a reasonably sized meeting room I have problems aiming it at a projected document on a screen and this is stationary. I'm obviously missing something, helicopters I can kind of understand as they have screens at all angles and can hover so I can understand how a heli-pilot could be blinded at low level as he would be looking down etc. How can an aircraft pilot be impacted in the same way climbing out of Heathrow? Surely the angles, the speed and the screen size would make it so difficult to hit a pilots eyes? What am I missing ? Is this more than a laser pen/sight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 It was stated on Radio 4 'Today' that these are hundreds of times more powerful than a laser pointer and (probably) are of military origin. Don't know about the lines of sight though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 You don't have to look very hard online to be able to buy stupidly powerful lasers for just a few hundred quid, no questions asked. They're extremely dangerous devices and should be regulated for purchase or hire. People who deliberately shine them at anyone, in a mode of transport or not, know how dangerous it is and should be locked up for assault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTR2Turbo Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 I do wonder if the pilots / airlines have complained without much action and wanted to make an example. No coincidence it was Virgin IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northwarks Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 but strength aside how can they get line of sight to a cockpit screen or a pilot on the climb out ? I do wonder if there was more to it .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 By the time the laser gets to the height of the aircraft climbing out, the beam is quite wide, probably about 2-3". If you've a steady hand, it's pretty easy to "paint" the side of the aircraft with the light and see it from the ground. Meanwhile, it's refracting through the windows and reflecting all over the cockpit without loss of intensity or power. Looking directly at a beam that strong for a split second is enough to cause serious or permanent eye injury. I've no doubt a few passengers in first class might have been affected as well if they saw it. Hope they catch the idiot who did it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 A very quick search brings up a 900mW green laser for $999.00 Green lasers are the most dangerous and appear to be tens of times brighter per watt than red. :A***: holes! Laser pointers are <5mW... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinten Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Although not the best video, it does show how it illuminates the whole cockpit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 you can get a decent laser diode for a lot less than that. i used to rob red diodes from cd burners and attach them to a simple driver and a 3V battery pack and pop balloons. about £20 should get you a decent enough 200mW red laser + driver. its the lenses and focussing that is the bit that im impressed with. £100 ish for a 2W 405nm the bit that i dont get is the damage they are claimed to do. lasers work best when focused as scott alluded to, over a large distance they loose power so to do any serious burning the laser would have to be something massive unless well focused. biggest issue i used to have was focussing an 808nm laser to burn properly at the focal length i wanted in the package i wanted. the lens and holder were the expensive bits but again pretty cheap. a green/red wavelengths the danger is dazzle, id be more worried if they shifted to 808nm or slighly higher as then you have no blink reflex. first thing you know about them would be the hole in the back of your retina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northwarks Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 So in summary at that kind of altitude its no longer that foccused beam but a dispersed beam that can be painted across an aircraft ... I feel suitable informed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevip6 Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I feel suitable informed And a touch concerned about Dombanks' knowledge of how to burn stuff with lasers! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Car Electronics Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 When he straps one to the head of a shark you have to really worry... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Is it possible to block these lasers and their effects with suitable eye-wear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Car Electronics Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Yes, but I think pilots normally wait until they've taken off before they wear them 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Is it possible to block these lasers and their effects with suitable eye-wear? Yes but the goggle I had were crazy. They cut out all light at a wavelength so made stuff very odd. Sharks were last year ... I tried fitting one to fatty the cat but her indifference meant she mostly burnt holes in the sofa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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