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Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: Marty Becker on March 18, 2011, 06:04:48 PM

Title: Laser Pointer Arrest near KMDW
Post by: Marty Becker on March 18, 2011, 06:04:48 PM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-2-held-in-laser-attack-on-plane-near-midway-20110318,0,7489650.story

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/4381821-418/police-two-in-custody-for-shining-laser-at-plane-cpd-helicopter.html

Title: Re: Laser Pointer Arrest near KMDW
Post by: rpd on March 20, 2011, 08:02:07 PM

Glad they caught these losers.  So many of these dangerous incidents happen everyday across the U.S. 

Perhaps prosecuting some of these jerks will stop these incidents from happening.

Title: Re: Laser Pointer Arrest near KMDW
Post by: dave on March 22, 2011, 06:59:32 AM

Quote from: rpd on March 20, 2011, 08:02:07 PM

Glad they caught these losers.  So many of these dangerous incidents happen everyday across the U.S. 

Perhaps prosecuting some of these jerks will stop these incidents from happening.

We can only hope.  I am also glad that efforts to catch them are being stepped up.

Dave

Title: Re: Laser Pointer Arrest near KMDW
Post by: jmx53 on March 22, 2011, 09:04:41 PM

The US senate passed an amendment to the FAA re-authorization bill making it a crime with penalty of 5 yrs in federal prison to point a laser at aircraft.  The bill is awaiting a vote by the US house of Representatives.  It's not clear when this vote will be taken since a temporary extension of the current FAA funding was just passed. 
See: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/04/travel/main7317504.shtml?source=related_story&tag=related

See also: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/10/earlyshow/main7337117.shtml 
Includes a video which shows what it's like in an aircraft when a green laser is pointed at it.

IMO: 5 yrs is much too lenient, It's only a matter of time before one of these "toys" manages to blind both flight crew causing a worst case scenario.