[AZ-Observing] Re: Phoenix man sentenced for shining laser at two commercial airliners, police helicopter over Valley

  • From: "Eric Steinberg" <eric@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2012 14:11:02 -0400

As far as "blinding" a pilot, probably overstated, but honestly if
you're flying an ILS approach at night and trying to keep the needles
inside the donut (alright, near the donut), getting any kind of flash
like that will likely knock out your night vision and disrupt the
approach.  Flying a 3-degree slope below 2000' would also make it easy
for the beam to go straight in.

I could see someone accidentally illuminating an aircraft at 15,000',
but in that case, as previously stated, the beam will not enter the
cockpit.  Below 10,000' and especially in the case of a helicopter,
you'd have to be a total moron or intent on dangerous mischief to point
a laser at it.  Criminal sanctions are appropriate.

E

-----Original Message-----
From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rick Tejera
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2012 10:39 AM
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Phoenix man sentenced for shining laser at
two commercial airliners, police helicopter over Valley

Tim,
Not sure what his lawyer could've done, he admitted to doing it and
regardless of the effect on the pilots, it is a crime to knowingly shine
a
laser at an aircraft. Seems he was charged with a local ordinance as
opposed
to a federal case (which he could have been) The TSA & FAA would not
been
quite so lenient. I seem to recall some schmo in Maryland getting a year
at
the Graybar and his vacation wasn't all expenses paid, he also got fined
to
the tune of $10,000.  Granted, I think he was the first to be charge and
as
such, as is the FAA's custom, they chose to make an example of him.

Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Sagauro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Amatuer Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
30 Meter Digital Group # 5794


-----Original Message-----
From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tim Jones
Sent: Thursday, 09 August, 2012 10:28
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Phoenix man sentenced for shining laser at
two
commercial airliners, police helicopter over Valley

On Aug 9, 2012, at 10:17 AM, Dan Heim wrote:

> And your comment about choppers being more vulnerable makes perfect
sense.
Airliners at altitude, though, would seem fairly impervious to your
average
laser pointer. When you take beam divergence and angle of incidence into
account, there ain't gonna be that much laser light entering the
cockpit.

While I agree with the be careful, use common sense train of thought, I
also
feel that his attorney didn't serve him properly.

Tim

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