Virgin Atlantic #VS25 returning to Heathrow after suspected laser incident

[Catoni]

You've got to be kidding here ! What a bunch of woosies ! I guess they don't fly with the sun in their eyes , you know that bright light a 1000 times brighter than a green laser pointer. Ridiculous.

Not unless it is focused which a laser is. Much higher concentration. Think magnifying glass + sun = burn something. Plus, he was flying at night and certainly wouldn't be prepared for sun. If you don't think it is an issue, read this - one of many incidents. Not as simple as you seem to think to be prepared.

In November, it was reported that a British Airways pilot was left with significant damage to his eyesight after a laser was shone into the plane he was landing at Heathrow.

The British Airline Pilots' Association said at the time that the pilot suffered a burned retina in his right eye while sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

http://mashable.com/2016/02/15/flight-vs25-virgin-atlantic-laser/#b1y3YL8aUPqB

A burned retina from a laserpointer from that distance ? That would have to be a little stronger than a pointer.

Go to YouTube and type in "Turn your lazer pointer into a burning laser" You may be shocked by what you find that kids are doing with their green and blue laser pointers. Yes... it can be easily done with a easily purchased part, and just a screwdriver, vice, and soldering iron...turn your laser pointer into a laser powerful enough to burn... and then those lasers become pretty damned impressive.

I wouldn't want to be a pilot of an aircraft a couple miles away that get hit in the eyes with the beam from one of those... You will be certainly dazzled and lose regular vision for at least a while..

[Tywais]

Go to YouTube and type in "Turn your lazer pointer into a burning laser" You may be shocked by what you find that kids are doing with their green and blue laser pointers.

I haven't been a kid in a very long time but I took part of a morning to build one at the lab just for the entertainment. Removed a laser diode from an old DVD writer and repackaged it with a laser housing/lens I had and a basic current regulator. Around 300mw and you can see what it does when focused. This is the video I made of it. Fairly popular with over 100,000 views.

BTW, that same laser I took home and at night could see it shining on trees 500 meters away.

[arunsakda]

That is cool and shit but do you think it is your god given right to shine that in a dog-dead tired Airline Pilot's face who just wants to land and get a few hours rest? Of course not but some people do and have no idea of the consequences.

Edited February 16, 2016 by arunsakda

[khaosai]

Safe sensible command decision to return based on one pilots inability to operate safely.

What initially manifests itself as a minor irritation may well end up being some form of incapacitation. Medlink may well have been contacted for further advice prior to the decision to return.

[canuckamuck]

More likely they will have to install auto darkening in cockpit windows, Of course that will force the pilots to land on instrument in case of a laser attack.

[Grouse]

Professional crew don't call a Pan Pan for fun

This is a serious issue. As you might expect, lasers travel at the speed of light! What kind of protection do you suggest? Welding goggles?

Interesting thing is that they were in the climb. What angle would the laser need to be?

In descent, more understandable....

May be we'll get to know

[tomyumchai]

send them up in welding helmets. mine self darkens in milliseconds when it detects a bright light

[Grouse]

The best automatic protection operates at 0.1ms

Not fast enough to trap a laser at that distance by an order of magnitude

[Don Mega]

A burned retina from a laserpointer from that distance ? That would have to be a little stronger than a pointer.

I didn't mention a standard laser pointer you would use in ones presentation which is usually less then 1mW power. You can easily buy online 5 watt or greater lasers which can easily damage the eye.

As for the distance here are some numbers. Using Green (532nm) as the eye is most sensitive to it as it focuses direct on the retina. Red focuses behind and blue/yellow focuses in front of the retina.

5W green laser typical beam spread of 2 mradians. Ocular hazard distance 820ft (249.9 meters). Flash blindness distance 3,877 ft (1182meters). Glare distance 17739 ft (5285 meters). Distraction distance 173,391 ft (52,850 meters).

http://www.lasersafetyfacts.com/resources/Laser-hazard-distance-chart.pdf

There are units that hobbyists built that combine multiple ones in one package and a common focusing lens that can make that much higher. Refocusing the laser also increases the power density over distance.

I had a 4000mw blue laser here for a while. WOW the grunt that puts out. was fun burning stuff and shining it out into the night it easily light up buildings over 1km away.

This is the one. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/oxlasers-OX-BX1-metal-cased-GATLING-STYLE-1000mW-3000mw-handheld-focusable-burning-Blue-laser-pointer-torch/636894091.html

I bought it for a freind as aliepress would not post to Australia. I sent it to Oz from Thailand and it arrived without issue.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Don Mega

[canuckamuck]

The best automatic protection operates at 0.1ms

Not fast enough to trap a laser at that distance by an order of magnitude

Unless in the first 1ms the laser gets a direct hit on the cornea, that is sufficient time to darken eye protection. welding helmets darken so quickly that you have no sensation of the unprotected flash despite the fact you are looking right at the spot with eyes wide open only 30 cm from your face. I am certain that if auto darkening can detect lasers, the technology is quick enough to respond before eye damage.

[exbikey]

Professional crew don't call a Pan Pan for fun

This is a serious issue. As you might expect, lasers travel at the speed of light! What kind of protection do you suggest? Welding goggles?

Interesting thing is that they were in the climb. What angle would the laser need to be?

In descent, more understandable....

May be we'll get to know

"interesting thing is that they were in the climb. What angle would the laser need to be?"

As a layman I would hazard a guess the the laser would have had to beamed from a point higher than the nose of the aircraft.

[Daffy D]

I'm no aviation expert but I believe a plane can bank and climb.

That means doing a turn while climbing so one side of the cockpit is facing the ground.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Daffy D

[Tywais]

Just read a comment from the Captain of the flight over at pprune.org. He said it was a red laser and that the FO received retinal damage but not permanent.

[LawrenceChee]

The person who did this is an idiot as he thinks amusement trumps safety

I personally would hope he will get arrested and for a period of one year have jailors be granted the right to point a laser at him at untold hours

This will help cure his sense of amusement fast