There have been at least six instances recently where pilots landing at Montreal’s Trudeau airport have been distracted by a green laser pointer.

The device, which can be purchased for $100 and has a range of three kilometres, can blind airline pilots, so Transport Canada considers it a serious safety risk.

Montreal airport laser pointer a serious safety risk: Officials.

The move follows a BBC investigation which found some of these potentially dangerous products were being sold irresponsibly by individual traders.

Many listings describe the pens as toys or, in one case, “wicked gadgets”.

But RAF and police helicopters have been among dozens of aircraft targeted by these devices, which can send a beam several miles, dazzling pilots.

EBay told the Donal MacIntyre programme on BBC Radio 5 live it had become “increasingly concerned” by reports of these lasers being used for “wholly inappropriate purposes”.

Amazon.co.uk said it would “remove the listings for these products as quickly as possible”.

BBC NEWS | UK | Laser pens face sales crackdown.

Terrorists?

The FBI and Homeland Security Department have issued memos to law enforcement agencies stating that evidence indicates terrorists have considered using lasers as weapons. Federal officials have found no evidence any incidents to date are part of a terrorist plot. In a speech delivered in 2005, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta stated, “Let me address the security issue. There is no specific or credible intelligence that would indicate that these laser incidents are connected to terrorists. As far as we know, lasers are not the terrorists’ weapon of choice. Nor is there any evidence that these incidents are terrorists practicing for use of other weapons, as some have speculated. Unfortunately, most incidents have been linked to persons who have decided just for the thrill of it, to laser an aircraft.”

Since June of 2008, people have been arrested and charged in cases in Ohio, Texas, Florida, California and Massachusetts in which the lasers have been shined into the cockpit windows of aircraft in flight. The green laser pointers, sold online for less than $50, are many times brighter than red lasers and are used for presentations and to point at stars. When aimed at aircraft, however, they are bright enough to temporarily blind pilots. According to one police report, an incident occurred when a suspect pointed a laser at a State Patrol helicopter while it was flying over Minneapolis. The pilot was forced to land the helicopter when temporarily blinded. Investigation of the case has been referred to the FBI. Officers should be aware that these incidents are both federal and quite likely state criminal offenses. In New York State for example, a person could be charged at the state level for Reckless Endangerment in a laser incident.

The Danger of Lasers

Although it is unlikely a standard, commercially available laser could down an airliner there is still a significant threat. Shaoul Ezekiel , Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor emeritus of laser science said a pulse laser that emits a short burst of light is especially dangerous because there’s no chance for pilots to look away. “For pulse lasers, you haven’t got a chance,” Ezekiel said. “All it takes is one blast and it’s too late.” Putting louvers on the windscreen could reduce the probability that a laser would blind a pilot, he said. John Nance, a former pilot and aviation safety consultant, said military-grade lasers can actually punch through the back of the retina and kill the victim by causing a cerebral hemorrhage. Nance said he is concerned that some of the recent laser incidents could be terrorists testing laser equipment in preparation for an attack. “They’ll be looking to blow out the eyes of a pilot,” he said.

Last month the pilot of an easyJet flight into Edinburgh Airport was dazzled for more than ten seconds when someone flashed a green laser pen.

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Dean Bottomley, 20, of Larwood Avenue, was playing around with a high-powered green laser at home when he pointed it directly at a police chopper flying overhead.

More at Stockport Express

A HASTINGS flying instructor believes NSW should follow in the footsteps of Western Australian and declare hand-held lasers “controlled weapons” after an incident in the skies above Port Macquarie.

Yesterday, the Western Australian Police Minister John Kobelke declared laser pointers to be ‘controlled weapons’ with fines of up to $4000 or 12 months jail for their illegal use.

It is a move that will strengthen the push in New South Wales to have the hand-held devices officially banned.

More at Port Macquarie News

Isn’t it overkill?

Witnesses have told police the laser beam came from a man standing on the Rose Bay public wharf.

The ferry was passing around Seven Thirty when a green laser was shone into the cabin - temporarily blinding the skipper.

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