Lasers and proximity to an airport.

[hakzaw1]

some good info offered ....some not so much..

AFAIK
draw a 10 mile circle from each end of each runway.
Then draw lines from outer edges to the other circles..
Any lasering inside that an FAA issue-- only a total fool would risk a federal offence by not keeping this in mind.
Laser Incidents are the main reason VERY FEW outdoor lasershows happen any more ....that and the fact that very few outdoor big venues are NOT close to an airport.-- Many arrested were lasing helis- pretty fricken stoopid seeing as they can stop-hover and locate you very easily. But who knows maybe we will see some of you on COPS.[
/B]

so there that to look forward to...

 

[Podo]

Better to enjoy your laser indoor only if you live that close to the airport.

 

[thestug]

OK so it seems I might have to search for an area that will be out of range of every airport. Does anyone know of a way to draw a nice 10 nautical mile circle around a given point on a map?

I do know that the airport nearest my house (and most other smaller airports in my area) doesn't really have any flights come in or out at night, there are no police around unless someone calls, and people around here are generally pretty chill about things as long as you aren't bothering someone. The penalties for getting caught are high, but the chances are quite slim that you would get into trouble. However, I'd still like to find a nice area outside of that 10 mile critical flight zone.

So another question. How does anyone living in the US point any sort of laser with a power > 5-10mw legally. Surely you guys don't all file a variance a month in advance of anytime you go point a laser into the air?

 

[USAbro]

I guess once you've drawn the circles, you have to find portions where they don't overlap, and there is no circle?

 

[Mattronium]

OK so it seems I might have to search for an area that will be out of range of every airport. Does anyone know of a way to draw a nice 10 nautical mile circle around a given point on a map?

I do know that the airport nearest my house (and most other smaller airports in my area) doesn't really have any flights come in or out at night, there are no police around unless someone calls, and people around here are generally pretty chill about things as long as you aren't bothering someone. The penalties for getting caught are high, but the chances are quite slim that you would get into trouble. However, I'd still like to find a nice area outside of that 10 mile critical flight zone.

So another question. How does anyone living in the US point any sort of laser with a power > 5-10mw legally. Surely you guys don't all file a variance a month in advance of anytime you go point a laser into the air?

You can look on Google Maps, right click on an area and select "measure distance", then go to the second location and do the same right click. Here

 

[thestug]

You can look on Google Maps, right click on an area and select "measure distance", then go to the second location and do the same right click. Here

Sweet. That works better than anything I've found thus far.

 

[Alaskan]

Any idea how some manufacturers/sellers of lasers are on that list and others not?

Enough to triangulate your location? Or am I too paranoid?

It's worth mentioning here too for those in the US that don't know, the list of companies on the import ban was updated one month ago and lists some companies people here buy from. The List also known as the DWPE list or "Detention Without Physical Examination" can be found on the FDA site here: Import Alert 95-04
Our powerful lasers are legal to own but there are plenty of ways to break the law with one. They just don't want too many people to be able to have powerful battery powered lasers they might go around shining outside in a questionable way. So they are making it more difficult to buy them.

Alan

 

[Pi R Squared]

Any idea how some manufacturers/sellers of lasers are on that list and others not?

No idea really but I suspect that the people at the FDA that make those decisions just aren't as into lasers as we are and don't yet know about all the companies selling laser products that don't meet FDA requirements.

Alan

 

[tttonyyy]

For any other Brits reading this thread with interest, here is the Civil Aviation Authority equivalent:

CAP 736: Operation of Directed Light, Fireworks, Toy Balloons and Sky Lanterns within UK Airspace | Publications | About the CAA

 

[clansley]

OMG I live 1.5 miles of a local airfield (small private planes)! So I'm well within the 3 mile radius, and as one of the runways is pointing at my house it would need to comply with the 10 mile rule :-( Good job I'm using my lasers inside.

 

[LSRFAQ]

Visible lasers, right?

No, there is a stricter set of rules for IR and UV, especially IR over a few mW or pulsed IR.

There is a exemption for science, weather observation, and industrial use of lasers in Airspace. It takes considerable paperwork and co-ordination. This results in a NOTAM about the facility.

Keep your beams near horizontal, above eye level or below waist level at the target, off buildings with lots of windows, off vehicles, and out of eyes, and unless you have local or state ordinances, you'll be fine. Properly TERMINATE your beams. That is the correct wording, used legally. "Terminate Your Beams!"

Airspace is a no-no, factoid, there is virtually nowhere in the populated regions of the US without an airport within 25 miles or less. In any cases its 7-10 miles or less for small private strips. By design, and for handling emergencies. Aviation is THAT important in this country.

FAA directives require pilots to report any observed laser activity.

FAA understands short periods of light for star pointing (very low power!) and registered, reported, Laser shows, but that is about it. The law is worded in such a way that a flight path is not well defined. There is some leeway, but a flight path is pretty much what a Pilot chooses it to be. It also requires some undefined level of intention to be demonstrated.

FAA is not going to seek prosecution for properly terminated, low level beams.

In fact last year many of the reporting requirements were reduced for touring, varienced, users, provided beams were terminated in such a way as to prevent airspace incursion. You still have to log and report the show, but requests for permission is reduced for experienced users.

Lots of County Airports big enough to handle a small, high performance jet, exist for both economic and military interests. Be aware of them. Be very aware of Helos and Medical Heliports, too.

Aeronautical charts are online and free. What you want is called a :"Sectional Chart": for a given area.

For most of the US, there will be up to 10,000$ rewards for successful FEDERAL prosecution of aircraft illumination incidents. This leads me to quote/paraphrase a poster in the Sci-Fi Show Red Dwarf, episode "An Apple of the People":

"Be an informer, inform on your friends, family and employers for fun and profit. Fabulous prizes and free trips to be had."





Steve

 

[vortish]

The town i live in has a small strip for crop dusting a the two people that have experimental air craft. I an three miles from it. My old employer also has a small private strip. that is 8 miles from my house. The thing of it is that there is no tower or anything at either. they do not file file planes do not exceeding 5,000 feet. or 200 miles. there are other aircaft that use country roads to take off. I do not use lasers out side but I wondering if I am also needing to use the map

 

[LSRFAQ]

The town i live in has a small strip for crop dusting a the two people that have experimental air craft. I an three miles from it. My old employer also has a small private strip. that is 8 miles from my house. The thing of it is that there is no tower or anything at either. they do not file file planes do not exceeding 5,000 feet. or 200 miles. there are other aircaft that use country roads to take off. I do not use lasers out side but I wondering if I am also needing to use the map

This is ALWAYS a judgment call.

I think the rule is "If there are bullet holes in the street signs, your out in God's country. In which case its fine to use the pointer as you like, if your safety minded. Two small planes, no scheduled flights, and your a responsible individual. Go have fun.


This is very much a city/suburban problem.

It is also a people problem. So if you know you have the odd control freak / busybody around, then don't lase.

---

Me, I get annoyed at the guy who shows up at every free band concert with a quarter watt green and waves it around on the buildings. For the whole concert. For the last two years! Why? He's not musical and the beam is not synced to the music. He has exactly one effect. Especially on the Forth and Memorial Day, when he can't wait to beam into the pyro show smoke. Its annoying! But I've never said anything to him.

Thus the other rule is the Golden Rule. Do onto others as you would have them do to you. Don't be annoying.


If your way out in the country, have fun. I live in a rural suburb, no one would care what I do on my one acre if the beam stays on my property. Save for one nosey neighbor, who used to call the cops for everything. They issued her a citation for wasting their time.


Just don't aim at airplanes or people. Apply common sense.

Steve

 

[vortish]

I know to use common sense when using lasers. I do live out in a small community of 700 souls. The bad part is I have military / civilian airliners that do fly over the town. hence no pointy the shiny thing in the air/ more common sense but thanks

 

[hakzaw1]

dont get me started on the asshats who bring ANY laser to a music/laser show- no diff from bringing a trumpet to a concert and trying to play along-

we are all judged by the actions of these idiots-- I , for one, will no longer stay silent
and cannot just sit there and allow this to go on. That is what pro-active people do--get involved.


laserpointersafety.com has a log of arrests and how these ended- seems a common thread is:
The profile-white- male- mid teens to late 20s- about the same as the average new member at LPF-
Most of the arrests involved helicopters- either from the first lasing or from when the police chopper is called in- SOME even lase them -- talk about being a dumbass.

I think in some cases the laser belonged to a friend - BUt IMO that does NOT let the owner off the hook- handing over a laser is not much different than allowing someone to do harm with YOUR firearm.

As usual Steve has the best advice.

I save any outdoor pics of lasers until after 2 or 3 AM- hardly any aircraft operating then and the 'nosey neighbor' who calls 911 for almost ANY reason has gone to bed. And I dont live close to ANY airport .. and even doing this I try to make photo sessions less than 30 or 40 minutes- tops.

I like using nature's fog- especailly at sunrise- still a litlle dark but you can see the surroundings some.

I dont have a lot of faith in the average persons 'common sense'. (no offence meant to Vortish)


hak



hak

 

[notsobrightbob]

I'm within 25 miles of a major airport and about 10 miles from a smaller regional airport. I'm currently using an app on my ipad called FlightRadar that shows planes in the sky relative to my position. I have checked it several times and sure enough I look up in the sky and see the blinking light of a plane. I use that app to point in safe directions.