No Accidents Yet, But Administrator Calls The Problem "Serious"

In a blog post on the DOT website, FAA administrator Randy Babbitt says that an uptick in the number of incidents in which a laser pointer has been directed at an airplane is a "serious problem," which pilots should immediately report.

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"It sounds silly, but this is a serious problem," Babbitt writes. "Just this year alone, we have had over 2,200 reported instances of people pointing lasers into the cockpits of airplanes flying around some of our nation's busiest airports.  This is up from 283 reported events in 2005."

Babbitt said that a laser directed into a cockpit can temporarily blind, and at best distracts a pilot. Some have had to give up control of their airplanes to a co-pilot, and there have been reports of landings which have been aborted due to a laser incident. Babbitt said there have also been reports of lasers being aimed at control tower cabs.

"We know that laser pointers are an important tool for astronomers and casual stargazers. But, we just can’t stress enough the importance of being careful when you are shining them into the night sky," Babbitt wrote. "Flight crews and air traffic controllers are dedicated to aviation safety and the FAA is committed to raising the awareness of this important safety issue so we can stop these laser events from occurring. You can help us by alerting your local law enforcement officials if you ever see someone shining a laser at an airplane."

FMI: www.faa.gov