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Author Topic: GReen Lazer KOAK  (Read 26547 times)

Offline Trevor KJ6RPM

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GReen Lazer KOAK
« on: May 09, 2011, 12:08:55 AM »
HEy listeners I was listening to my scanner when I heard SWA2875 I beilieve it was call tower and say we had a green lazer pointed at us at about 20:50 local time (pst). Could someone get this from the archive the archives.



alltheway

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2011, 04:15:10 AM »
You could do it yourself ofcourse  :mrgreen:

But then again I am occasionally a nice person, so attached  hehehe!
« Last Edit: May 09, 2011, 05:07:07 AM by alltheway »

Offline Trevor KJ6RPM

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2011, 05:29:12 PM »
Thanks alltheway. I would but i was off to bed thanks again. Hey also is anyone going to the SFO A380 spotting party.  I might.

alltheway

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2011, 05:32:35 PM »
Hey also is anyone going to the SFO A380 spotting party.  I might.

I live in Europe ....  :roll:

Offline SASD209

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2011, 02:36:57 AM »
I've heard a couple of these incidents on ATC and this tower crew didn't seem (to me, at least) to take it as seriously as other controllers have..... unless I'm just being overly cynical here?  :?

Offline ChristopherT

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2011, 04:41:15 PM »
I've heard a couple of these incidents on ATC and this tower crew didn't seem (to me, at least) to take it as seriously as other controllers have..... unless I'm just being overly cynical here?  :?

 No, I had same feeling after I heard it. Call the tower after landing? Call the cops NOW!  :-)  If I was the pilot, I would seriously consider using a Cell Phone and calling 911 to file a report.

       ChristopherT

alltheway

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« Last Edit: May 10, 2011, 05:22:35 PM by alltheway »

Offline Dngnkeeper

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2011, 06:46:04 PM »
If that's not enough some DIY scariness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wR6yp4xs1jM#at=24



And this ditty. 1 watt handheld lazer.

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

And people wonder why they get in trouble with these.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2011, 07:19:14 PM by Dngnkeeper »

Offline andyd66

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2011, 12:06:09 AM »
I have heard these incidents are shockingly common - as in daily (or nightly) .

Offline SASD209

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2011, 01:26:00 AM »
Heard where, exactly? Do you have a source for this statistic, or is this just something you've heard 'around'? There are a couple clips on here (you may search for them) where the tower immediately calls out to see if there is a PD chopper in the area and relays the info ASAP.
I'm not going to hammer the tower staff here, I wasn't there and don't know how tough their workload was at the time; I've just heard other tower crews react with a bit more sense of urgency than this one. Nice catch nonetheless.

Offline Dngnkeeper

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #10 on: May 11, 2011, 12:37:18 PM »
Here is a report from Aviation Week September 2009.

"The FBI has its hands full Investigating 921 incidents of laser attacks on aircraft recorded between Jan. 1 and the end of August."  http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/commercial_aviation/ThingsWithWings/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbb&plckPostId=Blog%3A7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost%3A5be08df8-4c7a-471d-9188-9ca03d4bfd0d&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

That would be over a hundred a month. With very few if any convictions.

Here is an FAA report from 2010 with lots of numbers and a handy report for anyone who gets attacked.

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA534694&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


This FAA 2010 report has some more numbers to put things in historical perspective.

Bottom line 73 events in 2004, 1765 in 2008. More then a twenty fold increase in four years. Yikes!

http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/medical/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201107.pdf
« Last Edit: May 11, 2011, 01:30:39 PM by Dngnkeeper »

Offline SASD209

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2011, 01:20:49 AM »
Thanks much, THAT was the kind of info I was looking for!!!   :-)

I really think there has to be some sort of education campaign to let people know (as they really should already, if they'd have some common sense haha) about the possible fatal effects of blinding a pilot in control of a jet with 300 pax on board at a low altitude. There is a Tom Clancy book (Debt of Honor) that describes the effects of a very bright and focused light on an aircrew on final approach...  not too sure how 'realistic' that particular scenario is, but it is a very short stretch to a handheld laser and what it could possibly do in that circumstance - and it is scary.

~SASD209
« Last Edit: May 12, 2011, 01:22:25 AM by SASD209 »

alltheway

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2011, 04:55:27 AM »
Thanks much, THAT was the kind of info I was looking for!!!   :-)

I really think there has to be some sort of education campaign to let people know (as they really should already, if they'd have some common sense haha) about the possible fatal effects of blinding a pilot in control of a jet with 300 pax on board at a low altitude. There is a Tom Clancy book (Debt of Honor) that describes the effects of a very bright and focused light on an aircrew on final approach...  not too sure how 'realistic' that particular scenario is, but it is a very short stretch to a handheld laser and what it could possibly do in that circumstance - and it is scary.

~SASD209

If some of these lasers can cause permanent eye damage than I rather put the regulation under weapons law for those and forbid to sell or make yourself, then most people won't even know about it and are not encouraged to try it (for fun)...

Offline Dngnkeeper

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2011, 11:32:20 AM »
If some of these lasers can cause permanent eye damage than I rather put the regulation under weapons law for those and forbid to sell or make yourself, then most people won't even know about it and are not encouraged to try it (for fun)...

They have been regulated for decades. You need a license to import, possess and operate any laser over 100mw as I recall. The forum on the above sites lists complaints from customers that customs is rejecting these in the US. The biggest problem is the DIY arena. I'm sure many sifi fans will try the mod for they toy shown above just because its cool with no knowledge or care of the the risks.  Unfortunately I didn't see in the reports anyone being prosecuted for the unlicensed possession/operation. Here in my town they have arrested two in the last year that I have heard of.

All of us here have a computer with a DVD burner in it. And in every one of these is a laser in the range of 500 to 1000mw. The other night I took an old one and followed the instruction on the site to see just how hard it is to build a laser flashlight. The answer is very easy. Even if you buy all the stuff, $20 for cheap DVD drive and $9 for the miniMag flashlight, you only need a screw driver, a soldering iron, a sharp knife and about 45 minutes to get it all done. For me the cost is was $0 as I have a bunch of old drives and several miniMags hanging around. We tested the thing at a cow field at night and we could hit a target at over two miles.

I agree education is needed but like most things unless there is some crash or near crash that's laser involved don't expect to see much. Probably the most promising avenue is as "child safety". But that too will need to be connected with some number of children getting hurt.

Offline silagi

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2011, 11:40:25 AM »
There are a couple clips on here (you may search for them) where the tower immediately calls out to see if there is a PD chopper in the area and relays the info ASAP.

That would be nice if Oakland PD still had their chopper in the air.  Unfortunately it is grounded indefinitely.  We dont have many police choppers here in the Bay Area.  The only ones that would fly in Oakland's airspace are East Bay Regional Parks and CHP and those normally only fly during the daytime hours.

Offline Trevor KJ6RPM

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2011, 10:42:37 PM »
what happened to the oak PDF one I remember a few years ago I saw video of a Guy caught on tape trying to blind the pilot.

Offline silagi

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2011, 02:16:28 PM »
what happened to the oak PDF one I remember a few years ago I saw video of a Guy caught on tape trying to blind the pilot.

The Oakland PD chopper was grounded due to budget cutbacks.  They still have the helicopter and it has flown occasionally for large special events but it is no longer on regular patrol duty.  

Offline dan9125

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Re: GReen Lazer KOAK
« Reply #17 on: May 17, 2011, 04:14:15 PM »