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posted by martyb on Friday February 19 2016, @11:42AM   Printer-friendly
from the blinded-by-the-light dept.

In yet another laser beam incident, crew on a flight carrying Pope Francis reported a laser beam sighting to air traffic control in Mexico City:

Alitalia flight AZ4000 was travelling from Havana with the Pope on board, and was preparing to land when the laser was spotted.
No crew or passengers were injured by the beam, the airline added.

[...] "This is yet another incident that shows how serious and widespread the issue of laser attacks on aircraft is," said Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), in response to the case involving the Pope's plane. "Modern lasers have the power to blind and the potential to dazzle and distract pilots during critical phases of flight," he told the BBC. "Shining a laser at an aircraft is illegal and dangerous and puts all those on board and on the ground nearby at completely unnecessary risk."

Aboard the plane headed from Rome to Mexico, the Pope said that contraception may be the "lesser evil" for women at risk of catching the Zika virus. In comments made on the ground, he chastised Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump for his plan to build a wall on the Mexican border.


In another story from the UK laser crime beat, Englishman Philip Houghton has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for admitting to shining a laser pen at a Humberside Police helicopter that was investigating a shooting.

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  • (Score: 2) by Gravis on Friday February 19 2016, @02:37PM

    by Gravis (4596) on Friday February 19 2016, @02:37PM (#306914)

    All the passengers are going to wear laser protective glasses (which only reduce, not eliminate risk)?

    the passengers aren't the ones flying the plane. they can just close their window shade.

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  • (Score: 2) by Dunbal on Friday February 19 2016, @03:20PM

    by Dunbal (3515) on Friday February 19 2016, @03:20PM (#306942)

    So can the pilots. That's what IFR means.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @05:32PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 19 2016, @05:32PM (#306988)

      You mean IFR means blind landings??

      • (Score: 2) by Dunbal on Friday February 19 2016, @06:55PM

        by Dunbal (3515) on Friday February 19 2016, @06:55PM (#307018)

        For a tiny tiny part between DH and the runway, you need to be able to see the runway. And that is almost the only time an IFR pilot needs to look out the window. Congrats on focusing on just that. But be careful technology changes all the time [youtube.com].

  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Friday February 19 2016, @05:22PM

    by takyon (881) <{takyon} {at} {soylentnews.org}> on Friday February 19 2016, @05:22PM (#306985) Journal

    Note: In case of laser incident, close window shade to protect remaining eye!

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