Thu, Jan 20, 2011
Incidents Have Nearly Doubled Over The Past Year
The FAA released statistics Wednesday that in 2010, nationwide
reports of lasers pointed at airplanes almost doubled from the
previous year to more than 2,800. This is the highest number of
laser events recorded since the FAA began keeping track in
2005.
Los Angeles International Airport recorded the highest number of
laser events in the country for an individual airport in 2010, with
102 reports, and the greater Los Angeles area tallied nearly twice
that number, with 201 reports. Chicago O'Hare International Airport
was a close second, with 98 reports, and Phoenix Sky Harbor
International Airport and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International
Airport tied for the third highest number of laser events for the
year with 80 each.
"This is a serious safety issue," said U.S. Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood. "Lasers can distract and harm pilots who are
working to get passengers safely to their destinations."
Nationwide, laser event reports have steadily increased since
the FAA created a formal reporting system in 2005 to collect
information from pilots. Reports rose from nearly 300 in 2005 to
1,527 in 2009 and 2,836 in 2010. "The FAA is actively warning
people not to point high-powered lasers at aircraft because they
can damage a pilot's eyes or cause temporary blindness," said FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt. "We continue to ask pilots to
immediately report laser events to air traffic controllers so we
can contact local law enforcement officials."
Some cities and states have laws making it illegal to shine
lasers at aircraft and, in many cases, people can face federal
charges. The increase in reports is likely due to a number of
factors, including the availability of inexpensive laser devices on
the Internet; higher power levels that enable lasers to hit
aircraft at higher altitudes; increased pilot reporting of laser
strikes; and the introduction of green lasers, which are more
easily seen than red lasers.
Top 20 Laser Event Reports By Airport In 2010:
- Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX)-102
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)-98
- Phoenix/Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)-80
- San Jose International Airport (SJC)-80
- McCarran International Airport (LAS)-72
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) -66
- Oakland International Airport (OAK)-55
- Honolulu International Airport (HNL)-47
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)-39
- Denver International Airport (DEN)-38
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)-38
- Tucson International Airport (TUS)-37
- Miami International Airport (MIA)-36
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)-36
- Portland International Airport (PDX)-32
- LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT)-32
- Bob Hope Airport (BUR)-31
- Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)-31
- John Wayne Airport (SNA)-31
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)-26
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