Laser Illumination of Flight Crewmembers by Altitude and Chronology of Occurrence

Abstract

The continuing increase in the number of laser illuminations reported at or below 2000 ft (approximately 610 m) represents an escalating threat to aviation safety. Information provided in this study may allow law enforcement to deploy their resources more efficiently to apprehend those responsible for these crimes.

Finding the Balance Between Price and Protection: Establishing a Surface-to-Air Fire Risk-Reduction Training Policy for Air-Carrier Pilots

“…In a study that focused on U.S. incidents that occurred between 2004 and 2008, over 2,492 laser illumination incidents were reported against U.S. aircraft, with 73% of these attacks being prosecuted against air-carrier aircraft in U.S. airspace (Nakagawara, Montgomery, & Wood, 2011). This equates to a 37-fold increase in incidents over a four-year period.…”

“…In 2015, the FAA reported that the number of laser attacks has increased to an average of approximately 200 incidents per day (Elser, 2016). Additionally, handheld lasers that exceed the 5 milliwatt (mW) Food and Drug Administration limit are readily available for purchase online (Nakagawara et al, 2011). For example, there is a 2000 mW unit, which can be purchased online for $150 (Houston, 2011).…”

“…This action puts pilots at risk because this response increases the exposure of their eyes to the laser energy (N. Bollum, personal communication, June, 2015). The counter-tactic for a laser attack should be to look away to protect the eyes, position the body to limit exposure, and land the aircraft (Nakagawara et al, 2011). If it becomes impossible for the aircrew members to protect their eyes, they should change course to exit the area and choose an alternate route.…”

A wide-angle shift-free metamaterial filter design for anti-laser striking application

“…Over the past decade, visible lasers have become a serious risk to aircraft and other transportation vehicles due to the ease of accessibility and low cost of ownership. Recent reports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and their British counter part, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), have illustrated that visible laser attacks from green (532 nm) lasers make up 83-91% of all reported incidents [1,2], with some of the most powerful laser attacks involving diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers [3]. The resulting damage caused from these attacks are mainly associated with laser eye dazzle [4,5], which describes the temporary impairment to the human eye caused from lasing light within the visible wavelengths.…”

Laser protection with optical limiting by combination of polymers with dyes

“…It is even possible to buy lasers as toys, which can be harmful . Lasers also pose a serious threat to pilots or civilian and military people …”