[JYO] PILOTS REQUIRED TO REPORT LASER INCIDENTS

January 12, 2005 - In the wake of  recent incidents involving laser devices 
pointed at aircraft,  Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta announced 
Wednesday that beginning  January 19, all pilots will be required to 
immediately 
report any laser  sightings to air traffic control. Sec. Mineta, speaking at 
FAA's 
Oklahoma  City office, said that ATC would then advise pilots operating in the 
area  of the incident via Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) as 
well  as inform law enforcement officials.  
Mineta said that nothing suggests these  incidents are related to terrorist 
activity. Rather, he called incidents  the work of pranksters and copycats. 
"Shining these lasers at an airplane is not a  harmless prank, it is stupid 
and it is dangerous," he said. "We will work  with police to identify the 
source of the lasers. We will do everything we  can to make sure each case is 
aggressively prosecuted."
Pilot reporting  procedures and other information is spelled out in _Advisory 
 Circular No. 70.2_ (http://eaa.org/communications/eaanews/Laser-AC_70-2.pdf) 
 issued Wednesday. 
FAA and other government studies indicate that  exposure of air crews to 
laser illumination may cause hazardous effects,  such as distraction, glare, 
afterimage flash blindness, and, in extreme  circumstances, persistent or 
permanent 
visual impairment. About 400  laser-aircraft incidents involving aircraft 
have been reported since 1990,  31 since New Years Eve alone.

Other related posts: