Proliferation of Lasers Seen As Threat To Air Safety

Air Safety Week, March 21, 2005

In an ironic twist, at a time when the proliferation of consumer laser pointers is causing havoc for pilots, the Department of Defense (DOD) is evaluating a laser system to warn pilots who do not have radio contact with air traffic control (ATC).

"At a time when we are trying to prevent lasers from disrupting aviation operations, DOD has created a warning system that flashes laser beams onto aircraft that violate the airspace surrounding the National Capital Region," observed Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee.

Mica hoped that all precautions would be taken before the DOD system is deployed to alert aircrews that cannot contact ATC. Testifying in a hearing before his subcommittee last week, DOD officials assured that the red-green laser lights are eye safe. The hearing was convened to assess what can or should be done about ground-based lasers that are not eye-safe. These lasers are readily available for purchase on the Internet.

This was an exploratory hearing, and the testimony of three individuals was especially significant: that of First Officer Parry Winder, of Delta Air Lines [DAL], whose airplane was lased in September 2004, that of Capt. Terry McVenes, who's the executive air safety chairman for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and Nick Sabitini, who is head of regulation and certification for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Their testimony outlined the threat, the ALPA position, and what actions the FAA is taking.

The Threat

Winder said he was approaching Salt Lake City for a visual night approach to the runway. The captain said, "What's this?" and Winder, the pilot flying, looked to the right. He saw a very bright green light. "It was like looking at an arc welder without the safety lens," he recalled.

They were tracked by the laser for about six seconds at 2,400 feet. He estimated the range was 4,000-4,500 feet.

He retained control of the aircraft and landed, but he said he was hand flying the aircraft "with spots in my right eye." Knowing what he knows now, he said, he would have immediately turned control of the aircraft over to the captain.

In the morning, he said his right eye was intensely painful. "Like my eyeball was too big for the socket," he said. He sought medical care and, to this day, his eye is sensitive to bright lights.

The incident was reported to the FAA that night, and to the airline the following morning. The perpetrator was never found.

The ALPA Concerns

McVenes said, "The timing of this hearing is virtually coincident with yet another serious laser event."

On March 10, a captain was struck by a green laser as his jet turned to align with the runway for landing at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. He suffered blurred vision in one eye and the first officer was required to take over and land for him.

"Regardless of whether a prankster or someone with more nefarious intentions was responsible, this event -- and others like it -- pose a definite danger to airline safety and must be aggressively pursued," McVenes said.

He noted that 20 laser events occurred between Dec. 23, 2004, and Jan. 2, 2005, against aircraft. The danger to pilots is great, he said, referring to a report by the FAA's Office of Aerospace Medicine, which subjected volunteer pilots to eye-safe levels of laser light in a simulator. The report said, "At the lowest exposure level (0.5mW/cm2), 67 percent of the responses indicated that test subjects experienced adverse visual effects from laser exposure. Higher exposure levels resulted in significantly greater performance difficulties and a total of nine aborted landings."

The FAA view

The FAA's Sabatini noted that no accidents have been attributed to air crews illuminated by lasers, and that perpetrators are prosecuted. For example, a man illuminating a helicopter flown by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, who were searching for the suspect in an earlier laser incident, was able to identify the location based on the earlier complaint, and the man was arrested.

As a result of the spate of recent incidents, the FAA issued an Advisory Circular (No. AC 70-2) that contains new guidelines to give pilots, air traffic controllers and law enforcement officials more timely information about laser incidents.

"As of Jan. 19, 2005, all pilots are now requested to immediately report any laser sightings to air traffic controllers, who will then be required to share these reports through the Federal Domestic Events Network," Sabitini said. This way, police can more swiftly locate the scene of the incident and apprehend the person responsible, he said.

Laser Beam Exposure Questionnaire

To be completed by aircrews to aid in subsequent investigation by air traffic control, law enforecement and other government agencies.

FAX TO WASHINGTON OPERATIONS CONTROL

CENTER (WOCC) at (202) 267-5289

Pilot name

Phone number

Company

Flight number

1. Date and time (UTC)?

2. Position of event (lat/long and or FRD)?