Laser burns pilot's eye

[James_D]

What about the cockpit glass, aren't there a certain refractive index, To hit a small target as an eye in a moving target, very impressive. Or.... Perhaps just an accident, which seems more likely..

JD.

[Fat Tone]

As regards the targeting, I don't think thats as difficult as you would believe.

The report said the pilot was 5 miles off, which means he would be on a steady slope approach (3 degrees?). So, if you stand at the end of the runway, that plane looks pretty stationary, just getting closer.

Feel free to correct me, it's just a thought.

[Brian Ellis]

Even if the guy was standing by the ILS antenna, a plane doesn't follow a straight path to it: the slightest wind current will blow it off course by a few metres but the on-board ILS system will correct it back within a second or two. The last few km is a constant lateral and altitude toing and froing as it fine tunes itself constantly onto the flightpath.

[Fat Tone]

That's a fair point Brian, but it's probably not too difficult (perhaps with a panning tripod) to aim at the centre of the motion and have a beam enter the windows...if you were determined enough!

[VJ]

Still, I doubt you could even see the pilots eye (due to the reflection of the windshield... (yes, the for an approaching aircraft is 3 degrees )

Now, for it to be an accident: when/where could such lasers be used so near to an airport ?


Jörg

[Dr Mordrid]

My basement

but I'd NEVER pull such a stupid stund as was done here.

Dr. Mordrid

[Chrono_Wanderer]

lol agree. its virtually impossible to aim at pilot's eye... refraction in glass... and the plane is so high up

[bibble]

aliens?

[High_Jumbllama]

Mutants perhaps? We should build some giant killer robots just in case.

[cjolley]

interesting...
The Chinese even have one fielded.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2111036/

chuck

[GT98]

I know that many Tanks and APC's are fitted with anti Laser coatings on their optics to protect the crew's eyes. If you take a look at them they look like a rainbow that shifts between Red/blue/purple/orange depending on angle you view them. I don't see a problem with them making them larger to use on Airliners if the threat was there.

[Tjalfe]

They don't need to be larger, they just need to make the pilot wear sunglasses with such coating

[The PIT]

Also aiming at the aircraft a few mm drift at your end is a huge differance at the other.

[Jon P. Inghram]

Since laser blinding weapons are banned by the Geneva convention, I wonder what the Chinese claim their laser is for, or if they just ignore the convention. If it's the latter, perhaps we should start developing new versions of the Puckle gun.

[DGhost]

Originally posted by GT98
I know that many Tanks and APC's are fitted with anti Laser coatings on their optics to protect the crew's eyes. If you take a look at them they look like a rainbow that shifts between Red/blue/purple/orange depending on angle you view them. I don't see a problem with them making them larger to use on Airliners if the threat was there.

yes, but for some strange reason they are not bulletproof...