Not trying to minimize or spins things, but let's take an objective step back for a second.
No aircraft to date has EVER crashed due to a laser.
As danger goes, handheld lasers are an absolute joke compared to guns, cars, and things you can buy in any local hardware store assuming an average to above average level of intelligence and modest financial resources.
Where planes are concerned, RC Airplanes, miniature rockets, and now drones are a hell of a lot more threatening.
And where laws are concerned, more than enough exist already. I mean crap, there is literally not one person in the US who can even name the number of laws, statutes, and ordinances out there. Let alone actually understands them, and how they interact. We're living in a world that's over enforced and over litigated already.
While I do absolutely want these jackasses caught, and made to suffer some, I really don't want to see anymore laws, or licensing schemes. All it will serve to do, is punish those of us not harming anyone.
It has potential actually. I mean look at how passionate people get in the democrats vs republican debates, and both spew fairy tales at literally every single election cycle to great effect :tired:
Edit: What good would the warning stickers do, given that the main source of these lasers is china, and chinese companies don't give a rat's @$$ about US regulations? Importing lasers over 5mW is already illegal... has that stopped them coming in from china by way of amazon and ebay? Nope, of course not.
Several good observations and points, however....
Yes no aircraft has crashed because of lasers---yet---not even the Egyptian Helicoper hit with hundreds of lasers--see:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/helicopter-laser-photos-egypt-protesters_n_3528371.html the goal is to attempt prevent the possibility of it ever happening rather than wait until it does to address the issues. Given the complaints by and the risk to commercial pilots and concerns and responsibilities of the FAA for safe and secure as possible air transportation, USA regulations and laws against aiming lasers at aircraft are reasonable and appropriate.
Danger is relative. I think the blinding possibility has people upset and led to the UN Ban on using blinding lasers as weapons of war along with other "inhumane" weapons. Eventually everyone decided --bullets are traditional and accepted as are many other munitions. If not killed, you can recover just fine like many other injury types. Being permanently blinded in less than two-millionths of a second is unfair, inhumain, and forever and should be banned, There is no prosthesis for a destroyed retina. Dazzlers are the workaround of the ban although at closer than dazzle range or refocused they to can blind--is a touchy subject.
I don't see having a law against aiming lasers at aircraft serving to punishing those of us not harming anyone anymore than other laws related to transportation safety.. Laws are laws people make them people break them--US has a massive amount of them---has always been the case. To have no laws or regulation is also no good.
Spreading fairytales is not anything that should be implemented with regard to laser information and regulations by responsible adults. Yes, especially politicians tell all sorts of stuff either on purpose because of mandate by the people who elected them or because of lack of unserstanding/comprehension. Is the case with people generally too, not an arguement for or against anythng other than education and awareness.
Warning stickers---well FDA could make it a requirement easily as it is FDA's area of authority and responsibiliy regulating sellers and manufacturers. Sure some will not comply just as some do not now, as you mention. I only mentioned the idea because this aiming at aircraft outlaw behavior has become a serious thing with serious penalties in the real world. It is not a problem or controversy that is going to go away anytime soon it has been growing for quite a while now.
If it becomes a toss up for lawmakers and regulators between FDA concerns, FAA concerns, pilot safety, safer air travel at takeoff and landing, Homeland Security concerns, Dept of Justice concerns and a small number laser hobbyists and enthusiasts----guess who takes the hit.
That'll be the day that ownership of ANY laser in the US will become a crime. And yes, I mean ownership not just misuse.
It'll be a sad day for us all.
-G
Yes absolutely. I don't think it will come to that.
"In the U.S., it is legal under federal law to own a laser of any power. But often people talk about “illegal laser pointers”. This is somewhat confusing shorthand meaning that the manufacturer or seller illegally called a laser above 5 milliwatts a “pointer”, or illegally promoted it for pointing purposes. Under federal law, it is perfectly legal to sell any laser above 5 mW as long as the laser complies with FDA/CDRH laser product requirements for labels, safety features, quality control, etc. AND as long as the laser is not promoted as a “laser pointer” or for pointing purposes.
If a laser over 5 mW is called a “pointer” or is sold for pointing purposes, the person doing the illegal action is the manufacturer or seller. If the consumer (end user) has a mislabeled or non-compliant laser, it is legal for them to possess it." ~ from:
Laser Pointer Safety - Laser rules and regulations for U.S. consumers
. Though that video from inside the sim cockpit is super inaccurate. No one can hold a laser steady on the cockpit of a moving plane, let alone in the exact same spot. Regardless, these people need to be prosecuted.