Alaska Airlines flight from Juneau hit by laser, lands safely at Sea-Tac

[Panich52]

Alaska Dispatch

Alaska Airlines flight from Juneau hit by laser, lands safely at Sea-Tac
  
The crew of an Alaska Airlines flight from Juneau with 75 people aboard reported experiencing a laser strike late Thursday as the jet approached Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

Aviation | Associated Press
Read more
http://www.adn.com/article/20150717/alaska-airlines-flight-juneau-hit-laser-lands-safely-sea-tac

[randys1]

1. What the PHUCK? Laser hits airplane?

[cwydro]

16. It didn't HIT the airplane.

People aim them at the cockpit, which can blind the pilots.

Google it. Numerous of these incidents in the last few weeks around Newark.

[Codeine]

2. Huh.

. . . these blast points, too accurate for Sandpeople. Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise.

[KatyMan]

7. you win the internet today! n/t

😀

[HooptieWagon]

3. Holy shit!

WTF? Who would have a laser powerfull enough to take down a plane? This is not good.

[Codeine]

4. More likely a strong laser pointer

Dangerous because it could potentially damage someone's eyes.

[Travis_0004]

5. or blind the pilot during landing

If a laser is aimed only at a window and hits a passenger, there is not really much danger.

If the laser is aimed at a pilot it can be very dangerous. Pilots have had to abort landings due to being blinded by lasers before.

The FAA takes these seriously, and people will be arrested if caught.


Can you imagine being in a dark cockpit, and having this shining in your eye?

[MindPilot]

9. It's Loc-nar!!!

[Warren DeMontague]

22. ***

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. oh, so that's how it shines into the cockpit. I pictured something less dramatic

[Major Nikon]

24. In North Texas there was a dipshit doing this to an FBI helicopter

When the FBI agents' car pulled up to his house, he was still outside shining the laser at the helicopter.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/They-Call-Me-the-Laser-Pointer-Guy-123508374.html

[cwydro]

17. The lasers don't "take down" the plane.

People on the ground aim them at approaching and departing aircraft, which can momentarily blind pilots.

It is very dangerous. And criminal.

Numerous incidents around Newark recently. Google it if you want to see how often this happens.

[MineralMan]

6. Want a "tactical" green laser. Just go here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=green+laser+tactical

You can buy one almost anywhere, but Amazon has a great selection. They're common, and dangerous. This kind of thing is what is being used. They're for sale everywhere. Why is that?

[hatrack]

8. Because FREEDUMB, I guess . . .

[Travis_0004]

12. because they are useful

Laser levels, star gazing, making the cat chase it.

Should we ban every thing that might possibly be dangerous?

[hunter]

10. We live in an idiocracy.

The shit-for-brains U.S. American culture is everywhere.

The fools aiming this laser at airplanes probably own guns too.

Here, hold my beer and watch this...

[tblue37]

13. And shoot their guns into the air to celebrate holidays, weddings, and Tuesday. nt

[Blue_Tires]

11. Fuckin' assholes

[olddots]

14. America has become a continual re run of Hee Haw

Brought to you by Republico Enterprises.

[cwydro]

15. There have been numerous recent incidents at Newark with these lasers.

ATC actually changed the landing patterns because there were so many.

[Snow Leopard]

18. these people need to be caught

and accidentally fall down a few times on the way to jail. assholes.

[Logical]

21. Wow, nice. Love lynch mob days I assume also. Raped in prison also? nt

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Just one plane? Newark has had at least 15 in the last few days.

The penalty for doing this is pretty steep. Decades in prison.

[u4ic]

23. This has been happening for years in Canada

100 reported incidents between 1997 and 2008: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pilots-worried-about-stupid-hobby-of-shining-laser-lights-at-planes-1.736834

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/pointing-laser-at-plane-nets-calgary-man-a-1-000-fine-1.737797

Across Canada, Transport Canada reported more than 400 incidents of lasers being used on aircraft in 2013, quadruple the rate from 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/saskatchewan/story/1.2739776

Glad the plane landed safely.