THE FBI is investigating a spate of incidents in which laser beams appear to have been shone into the cockpits of passenger jets. The bureau is worried that terrorists may be using the lasers to try and bring down a plane by dazzling the pilots.
Since Christmas, pilots in Ohio, Washington DC, Texas, New Jersey, Oregon, Colorado, Tennessee and Illinois have reported seeing what looked like green spots of laser light shining into their cockpit. The light seemed to be tracking the plane in a way that would require more sophisticated equipment than the laser pointers used in conferences and lectures. Though none of the pilots suffered any eye injury, any cockpit distraction can be fatal, and the cluster of incidents has alarmed the FBI.
Laser beams have until now been only an occasional hazard for pilots. 鈥淪ince 1979 there have been 36 occurrences of pilots in the UK being distracted by lasers,鈥� a spokesman for the British Civil Aviation Authority says. The latest of these incidents came in November and December 2003, when two flights approaching Aberdeen airport were targeted.
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