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New peril to Heathrow pilots from attacks by £10 laser guns
Dick Murray07.07.09
Pilots landing and taking off at Heathrow and Gatwick are reporting a dramatic increase in the number of laser beams fired into their cockpits.
More lives are being put at risk by £10 laser guns bought from corner shops and online.
The British Airline Pilots' Association warned today that unless the culprits are stopped it is only a matter of time before a pilot is blinded.
Incidents of laser beams fired at aircraft soared to 206 last year compared with just three in 2003 and 29 in 2007.
Jim McAuslan, BALPA general secretary, said: “We have had incidents at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. Passengers are being put at risk by what has become an epidemic. We have to stop these culprits before we have a very serious incident.”
The laser guns, some no bigger than a ballpoint pen, are mostly imported from China. Beams can reach 37,000ft but most are targeted at the cockpits of aircraft taking off or landing at Britain's airports.
The BALPA boss is now demanding an urgent meeting with transport secretary Lord Adonis, saying the number of laser beam incidents “poses a threat to the lives of passengers and crew” every week. “We are calling on Lord Adonis to act before there is a serious incident,” said Mr McAuslan.
Mr McAuslan wants a joint conference of all those in the industry along with the police and legal profession. In a letter to the transport secretary, Mr McAuslan writes: “Technology to locate the exact origin of a beam has been developed and we hope that such devices are urgently rolled out to police forces across the UK.”
An amendment to the Air Navigation Order going through Parliament would make targeting aircraft with lasers a specific offence.
But Mr McAuslan said: “There is much more we can do.”
Reader views (7)
Why should the police be involved? The police are the worst offenders pointing lasers at drivers continually for the purpose of issuing speeding tickets and pointing lasers at motor vehicles is just as dangerous. In fact; pointing lasers at road vehicles is contrary to an EU Directive but this is not made widely known in the UK for obvious reasons.
- David, Banbury, UK
christian ball - why don't we just move the airport into the middle of the countryside. Think.
- Gary, london
Whynot change these craft from flying over the densly populated areas of the South East - thus avoiding the horrific consequences of these mindless attacks? Of course not we will not do anything to damage flights its the poor people who are under the flight paths that must carry the risk. It really is amazing that a current known threat has elicited absaolutely no alteration in flight paths to frustrate and avoid such disaster, is negligence all the worse as its ngligence to protect profits.
- Christian Ball, London, UK
Pointing a laser at aircraft is a fellony in the US. People have been arrested for doing so.
to Austen some of the practical uses are leveling devices (survey transit) in the construction industry. Range finders, pointing devices for lecturers. gun sights, dental surgury, cancer treatment, and on and on.
- Jj, Austin Texas
I don't think making it a specific offence is going to do much to disuade individuals who like breaking laws. These are the sorts of people who like to set fires so they can pelt the fire brigade with stones when they turn up. Banning the import of these devices would be probably be a better idea.
- Rich, London
A disaster waiting to happen! I just hope the police can catch these idiots and bring them to justice PDQ!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
“Technology to locate the exact origin of a beam has been developed and we hope that such devices are urgently rolled out to police forces across the UK.” Er, how about stopping them being imported and sold in "corner shops" and leaning on the Chinese government to prevent their manufacture. Apart from blinding pilots and other people, to what practical use can these things be put?
- Austen, London
