Forklift driver arrested for pointing a laser at aircraft landing at SRQ

[Gabriel]

The problem is not the laser per se but the intensity of light that reaches the cockpit. Aim a very powerful and very well focused normal not_laser light to a plane, and it would still be a problem.

It's not just a matter of total power but power by unit area. A normal powerpoint laser pointer not only has a very low power, but also a quite large divergence (by laser standards) meaning that the width of the beam widens more quickly. At a few hundred feet it is already a dim light in the background. The laser Christmas lights (at least the ones I have) are not only low power and large divergence, but also they are not individual lights. There are just a couple of laser sources that are spread using an diffraction matrix, so each dot is only a fraction of the power of the source.

I don't think that a normal Christmas laser light would pose a problem at all.

[3WE]

Conversely: We have something powered by 3 volts from two relatively puny batteries and dependent on a somewhat reflective surface vs something powered by 110 volts and not so limited amps on less reflective surfaces…

Just saying is all in how the thing is DESIGNED. Also, at 1000 feet, my laser pointer dot gets bigger (thus less energy/area)….same for the Christmas lights.

[Gabriel]

Conversely: We have something powered by 3 volts from two relatively puny batteries and dependent on a somewhat reflective surface vs something powered by 110 volts and not so limited amps on less reflective surfaces…

The one I have has an output of 2.5mW, spread that in 100 beams 12 inches wide each (at 1000 ft, if it has a divergence of 1:1000) and you'll get 0.0002 mW / sqin (and the area of the pupil is just a tiny fraction of 1 sqin). I am clueless but it doesn't sound concerning.

Just saying is all in how the thing is DESIGNED. Also, at 1000 feet, my laser pointer dot gets bigger (thus less energy/area)….same for the Christmas lights.

Yes, that happens with ALL lasers. The question is what is the output and how quickly it diverges (i.e, how quickly the dot grows with distance). Typically less powerful lasers have poorer (larger) divergence because they are intended to be used at close distance.

[BoeingBobby]

As usual, the two of you can't see the forest through the trees. It's dark, you are on approach after a very long day. All of a sudden the cockpit, your side window, maybe the windshield, or if you are really lucky it caught you right in the face. Not like it's going to burn a hole in you, but you sure aren't going to be able to see much for a few minutes. Who gives a rats ass how powerful or the dispersion is. But then again neither of you have ANY EXPERIENCE flying a transport category aircraft!

[Gabriel]

As usual, the two of you can't see the forest through the trees. It's dark, you are on approach after a very long day. All of a sudden the cockpit, your side window, maybe the windshield, or if you are really lucky it caught you right in the face. Not like it's going to burn a hole in you, but you sure aren't going to be able to see much for a few minutes. Who gives a rats ass how powerful or the dispersion is.

Nobody was talking about burning a hole. It was all about temporary blinding. Your eyes are already receiving light. You have the runway lights in front of you. The approach lights, rabbit and PAPI are quite strong. You have a few PC-monitor-like screens in front of you. If the light power per unit area that you receive from the laser is below the level of the light you are already receiving from everywhere else combined, you are probably not even going to realize that you were "hit" by a laser, let alone being partially blinded for minutes (or seconds).

But then again neither of you have ANY EXPERIENCE flying a transport category aircraft!

I apologize. I forgot that the only way to acquire knowledge about lasers and their impact in vision is with 800,000 lb worth of plane in the yoke in your left hand, a handful of throttles in your right hand that command 50,000 lb of thrust in each of your 4 high-bypass turbofan engines, and 3000 PSI on each brake on the 16 wheels of your 4 main landing gears... And showing off how far you can pee.

[BoeingBobby]

Nobody was talking about burning a hole. It was all about temporary blinding. Your eyes are already receiving light. You have the runway lights in front of you. The approach lights, rabbit and PAPI are quite strong. You have a few PC-monitor-like screens in front of you. If the light power per unit area that you receive from the laser is below the level of the light you are already receiving from everywhere else combined, you are probably not even going to realize that you were "hit" by a laser, let alone being partially blinded for minutes (or seconds).

Not only are you an inconsiderate a**hole. You show your ignorance once again. Who said ANYTHING about being on final? Having been lasered at least a half dozen times in my career, I can tell you first hand that it can be a real pain. So there is my argument, and my credentials!
Just so you know I am still hearing about you showing up an hour late for a free simulator session that I arranged.

[BoeingBobby]

Not only are you an inconsiderate a**hole, you are an arrogant p***k as well. You show your ignorance once again. Who said ANYTHING about being on final? Having been lasered at least a half dozen times in my career, I can tell you first hand that it can be a real pain. So there is my argument, and my credentials!
Just so you know I am still hearing about you showing up an hour late for a free simulator session that I arranged.

[Gabriel]

You show your ignorance once again. Who said ANYTHING about being on final?

It was an example. If the intensity of the laser that hits your eyes is lower than the intensity of the light you are already receiving from other sources, you may not even notice it, let alone be blinded.

Having been lasered at least a half dozen times in my career, I can tell you first hand that it can be a real pain.

I already know that, even without "ANY EXPERIENCE flying a transport category aircraft". Laser can cut through steel, of course it can blind you for some minutes too.
But not all lasers are made equal. There is where the output power and divergence, for which you "give a rats ass", comes into play.

So there is my argument, and my credentials!

So what is your experience being lasered by Christmas laser lights? Because that is what I was talking about.
Zero. You either were never lasered by Christmas laser lights or you were and didn't even notice it.
How do I know?

Never had a problem with Christmas lights

So there your experience, your argument and your credentials on the subject go.

Do you know the tale of the viper that bits its tongue and gets poisoned with its own venom?

Just so you know I am still hearing about you showing up an hour late for a free simulator session that I arranged.

(Congratulations for a wise and mature response.)
Guilty as charged. I already explained to you in private what I did wrong and apologized in public and in private. I will forever regret that. I don't know what else I can do. I wish I could change the past, but I can't. You can keep bringing it up again and again every time you get mad with me and I still won't be able to change it.
I admit that if your intention is to hurt me, it works. Because I do own my mistake and hold myself accountable.

Not only are you an inconsiderate a**hole, you are an arrogant p***k as well.

Yea, I was, right? Feels good from time to time to respond in kind.

[Evan]

Is it just me or has the popcorn gotten saltier?

[3WE]

Is it just me or has the popcorn gotten saltier?

Salt and butter are essential.

Please enjoy.

[Gabriel]

Salt and butter are essential.

And corn.

(and pop)

[3WE]

Don't forget automated, cheap composite poppers:

[BoeingBobby]

Last time I checked, this thread was about some idiot on a forklift purposely aiming a laser at aircraft. Not about Christmas lights or crashed Lear Jets!

[flashcrash]

Last time I checked, this thread was about some idiot on a forklift purposely aiming a laser at aircraft.(

.... and, two years later, case 289215 is still pending in the county court: CHARLIE JAMES CHAPMAN | Court Records - UniCourt

[BoeingBobby]

Guess it's not that big of a problem right?

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/lase...ry?id=82627912