Laser Strikes

[GTagami]

I heard a United pilot report two laser strikes from two different locations while on approach to LAX this morning. I can't believe how stupid people are sometimes. 

[Realbigtaco]

I can't believe you have good enough aim to hit a plane from the ground

[Spectre130]

Flying between Masera Island, Oman and Afghanistan in the early part of Enduring Freedom my pilot was hit twice in three days from the same type of "fishing" boat.  Both times we marked the position but really can you do.  He had to stop flying from the damage to his eye.  Most of the incidents in the US are not the industrial strength lasers but the laser pointers... no matter what, it is not a smart idea to point one at a plane.

[GTagami]

Speak of the devil....

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/laser-hazards-for-pilots-landing-planes-23407336

[Code20photog]

In Thousand Oaks, there was a problem with someone hitting the Mercy Air chopper with a laser each time it was flying back towards Oxnard.

There had been complaints about how low and loud they'd fly, it shakes my parent's house like you wouldn't believe.

One night, the FBI chopper from Mugu decided to follow along, blacked out with the FLIR looking for the suspect. They nailed him first shot. Fun thing, I listened to the whole thing on the scanner, the guy was only 2 streets over from my parents place.

[GTagami]

In Thousand Oaks, there was a problem with someone hitting the Mercy Air chopper with a laser each time it was flying back towards Oxnard.

There had been complaints about how low and loud they'd fly, it shakes my parent's house like you wouldn't believe.

One night, the FBI chopper from Mugu decided to follow along, blacked out with the FLIR looking for the suspect. They nailed him first shot. Fun thing, I listened to the whole thing on the scanner, the guy was only 2 streets over from my parents place.

That's awesome!

[phantomphan1974]

That's awesome!

That's so cool, so who was he?  Any news on it?  How could you now love the sound and feeling of a Bell 222 low over your house.

[robin990]

That musta been a years ago as the Oxnard based 222 hasnt been in service for at least 5 years .

  But nice to see the FBI doing something constructive.
 

[phantomphan1974]

That musta been a years ago as the Oxnard based 222 hasnt been in service for at least 5 years .

  But nice to see the FBI doing something constructive.
 

I just assumed it was the 222.  Ken was this recent or is the past?  Eitherway, cool sting.

[robin990]

Calstar operates  222 out of Santa Maria , and Mercy does do flights to Ventura.......so it could be recent.

Ken will tell us.

[Code20photog]

5 years sounds just about right. Was before I was working in LA so definitely before 2006.  The days turn into months, turn into years, then you get old and you can't remember what you had for lunch...

[nmcbride]

Southwest plane coming in to LAX reported laser strikes tonight around 8pm.   LAPD air and ground responded and the guy hit the LAPD helicopter with the laser.    Pilot guided the ground units to a suspect and he was arrested with the laser on him.  61st and Avalon was the area Fox reported.

Arrest was caught on tape by Fox 11 helicopter, which was hit during all this by another idiot with a laser, also caught on tape.   
That guy got away.

[kick Z tail out]

LAPD air and ground responded and the guy hit the LAPD helicopter with the laser.

Wow, what a genius...

[nmcbride]

Here is the story and video from Fox LA News last night...

http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/teen-arrested-for-pointing-laser-at-planes-20110208

[NikonGuy]

WoW!!