CAPT. SEAN CASSIDY APPEARING ON
THE DOCTORS
Your browser does not support inline frames
EACH WEEK, THERE ARE LASER ILLUMINATIONS OF AIRCRAFT AROUND THE WORLD.
The potential negative effects of laser beams striking the human eye and interfering with flight operations are well documented. While there has yet to be an aviation accident attributable to a laser illumination, several significant cases of pilot injury have been reported. In view of the worldwide proliferation of handheld lasers, the threat and the risk intensify.
The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, works to educate the public on the dangers presented to aviation by unauthorized laser illuminations and to support and encourage law enforcement officials in the investigation and prosecution of such occurrences. As part of that effort, ALPA leaders have developed recommended crew practices to be used when confronted with a laser illumination during critical phases of flight. The intent of these protocols is to ensure that pilots are properly prepared to respond to a laser illumination event.
Related Material
FBI Laser Threat Awareness PSA
Protecting Aircraft from Lasers
FBI News Release: Houston Second in Nation for Laser Strikes Against Aircraft
A Guide to Laser Illumination Threat Mitigation
ALPA’s Laser Illumination of Aircraft Symposium (2011)