Pinpointing the Problem
Tuesday, May 05, 2009 - Todd Macuda, Vertical 911
Laser strikes are an increasingly common hazard to aviation, and to parapublic helicopter operators in particular. In this article from the Spring 2009 issue of Vertical 911, Todd Macuda explains the nature of the threat and how pilots can cope with it.
on camera. Photo courtesy Kevin Means.
Over the past few years, police, emergency medical service (EMS) and news helicopters throughout the United States and Canada have being experiencing a strange and alarming trend — a significant increase in the number of lasers being shined into their cockpits.
For many people outside the industry, these kinds of laser strikes may seem like a minor and foolish prank, but they can cause serious harm and endanger an aircrew's safety and health.
“We call it harassment,” said Kevin Means, a pilot and tactical flight officer with the San Diego Police Department who said his department deals with about one to three strikes per month.
All laser strikes seem to occur at night (crews wouldn't notice them during the day even if they did happen) and are largely dangerous because of the distraction they create. When laser light hits the windscreen, it refracts and affects the crew's night vision. Said Means, “If it's over the city, it's nothing more than a nuisance most of the time.” But, he said that in the dark canyons of San Diego, Calif., where police helicopters have also been targeted, it can be more disorienting and pose more of a safety threat.
Laser strikes can also cause medical concerns. Pilots who have been hit with lasers directly in the eyes have suffered from headaches and clouded vision, among other health concerns.
Said Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesperson Les Dorr, “The FAA takes laser events very seriously. We've set up a reporting system for pilots.”
The increase in laser strikes is startling. According to Dr. Van Nakagawara, a noted expert on laser strikes and vision research team co-ordinator at the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, there were 832 reported incidents in the U.S. from 2004 to 2006. But, 2008 alone exceeded that entire three-year period, and 2009 appears on course to be even higher.
In fact, Dorr told Vertical 911 there were more than 900 strikes in 2008, and already about 265 in 2009 (to the end of March).
This emergent threat is a growing safety concern for all aviation crews, helicopter or fixed-wing. To protect and support them, and mitigate these strikes, requires everyone — operators, regulators and science and health experts — work closely together, leveraging a broad range of expertise, and establishing a working group of professionals that will develop protective technology, educational programs, medical protocols and operational solutions.
Before we can do all those things, though, it's helpful to get a better understanding of lasers and their effects.
Lasers are broadly used as a technological aid in a number of industrial and operational settings. Consequently, lasing technologies are widely available to the general population. This accessibility has resulted in a variety of unintended negative applications, including the lasing of civilian and law enforcement aircraft. Increases in laser strikes may be partly due to public misconception that laser-pointer use presents no hazard.
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Most recent aviation-related laser incidents involve Class IIIA green pointer devices. Some members of the public don't fully appreciate the risk that lasers pose to aircrews. |
Most recent aviation-related laser incidents involve Class IIIA green pointer devices. Aircrews reporting these incidents have described green flashes.
Perceptually, lasers typically appear red or green to the aircrew, although, in some cases, lasers are undetectable and invisible. Depending on the power, distance and duration of exposure, lasers can influence and possibly damage the retinas of the aircrew. And, while rotary-wing operations are more susceptible to laser strikes, fixed-wing operations are vulnerable at distances of 250 feet or less.
Most anecdotal reports following a laser strike contain descriptions of flashes, and being startled or dazzled. Aircrews also report some difficulty in acquiring medical support and some have confusion on how to address a strike from a medical perspective. In some cases, aircrews have not sought medical treatment. In others, aircrews report symptoms of dizziness, stress about their vision and a general depression following a laser strike.
These reports seem to indicate there is a lack of knowledge and understanding concerning laser strikes; and that we are at the early stages of understanding this new problem and how it may affect airborne operations. (For more information on the studies the FAA has done so far, check the Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports section of the FAA website: http://www.faa.gov/).
The protective technologies available to aircrews are currently limited. While there are some protective “notch” filter spectacles that can be worn like glasses, they do not provide complete protection.
Some pilots who have night vision goggles (NVGs) will put them on immediately after they detect a laser strike, or simply wear them during all night flights to protect against potential strikes. “You can take a direct hit in the goggles and it just looks like a bright light,” said Means. Over the city, pilots in his department can choose to wear the goggles or not, but Means believes in wearing his during all night operations.
A new technology that will provide wideband protection or protection across all laser types, including visible and invisible lasers, is currently under development, but is not yet ready for operational use.
As we better understand the long-term impact of laser strikes, we'll need to increase our research and development (R&D) programs to further develop protective technologies. But, we must be aware that these technologies can influence how an aircrew conducts flight operations.
The U.S. criminal code imposes a fine or prison term of up to five years for any person who knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or its flight path. Currently, malicious use of lasers to interfere with aircraft are prosecuted under the provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 32, Interfering with Flight Crews, or under the Patriot Act (Public Law 107-56) section pertaining to acts of violence directed against mass transportation systems. But, Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 39A, Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft, is currently being considered to specifically address laser strikes.
Several states also, have specific statutes to address this issue. For example, the California Penal Code creates a felony for aircraft laser incidents and has misdemeanor provisions for those interfering with aircraft. Unfortunately, there are no laws against laser strikes in many other states, and most strikes on helicopters would likely not fall under federal law.
Canada has just started to address this criminal activity, although, to date, fines have not exceeded $1,000 Cdn. Police agencies are now considering charges under the Criminal Code of Canada. Also, the Canadian Aviation Regulations 601.20 deals with Projection of Directed Bright Light Source at an Aircraft, while section 7.41(1) under Part I of the Aeronautics Act addresses the safety and security of an aircraft in flight.
In either country, it is critical that aircrews interface with local authorities to help support the follow-up investigation of a laser strike. Through seizing the lasers used in strikes, we can better provide medical support following an incident, and use this information to guide our protective R&D programs.
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Law enforcement officers can use infrared imaging devices to identify laser strike perpetrators. Photo courtesy Kevin Means. |
Laser strikes can affect normal flight operations, cause direct damage to a crewmember's vision, and result in potential psychological stress associated with perceived damage. Bright, directed light entering the cockpit may also unexpectedly startle the crew, cause a glare that makes visibility out of the windscreen difficult, or create flash blindness and/or an afterimage, even if the source is non-injurious.
At the moment, there are initiatives underway to address the hazards presented by laser strikes. The most basic of these are the development of educational programs and briefing documents to enhance aircrew awareness on the effects of lasers on their eyes, vision and flight performance.
In Canada, there is the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that address Transport Canada requirements, and expand crew awareness of the required reporting mechanisms/avenues following a laser strike. These include notifying air traffic control (who will subsequently notify local authorities), filing a company safety report, and providing a follow-up report to Transport Canada. These SOPs will allow organizations a capacity to conduct internal reviews following a strike and provide a clear understanding of lasers and their effects.
There has also been work on the development of a well-defined medical protocol that measures aircrew eye health pre- and post-laser strikes. This will address the necessary steps for medical treatment and provide aircrews with a clearly defined process. The baseline measurements established before a strike will allow an unambiguous record of aircrew eye health that supports increased health and safety, and provides clear medical direction at the organizational level. The methodology will support existing medical assets within these organizations and promote long-term aircrew visual health.
Supporting this medical protocol will be the development of an infrastructure and medical framework, allowing us to monitor pilot visual health over their flight career and determine the long-term effects of laser strikes on pilot visual and flight performance.
Finally, there has been the creation of new operational R&D programs to understand the impact lasers have on flight performance and long-term pilot health. These programs will also be aimed at the development of protective technologies.
The first consideration in dealing with laser strikes is to support the health and safety of the aircrew. This can be done through education and a defined medical protocol.
Next, understanding the operator's immediate needs will provide a clear way forward. The first consideration should be adding a laser strike protocol to one's safety management system. The critical component of this should be the ability to accurately assess aircrews following a laser strike, and to provide appropriate medical care and counseling.
Operators also need to document incidents, develop an internal review system for dealing with them, and develop a long-term strategy for educating personnel. The expertise from academia, government and industry currently exist to help implement these programs. We must also continue our efforts to support working groups, and work as a broader community to address laser strikes.
As we pursue these efforts, it is important to remember the first line of defense against laser strikes is to empower the aircrew.
Additional reporting was provided by Vertical 911 executive editor Elan Head.
Dr. Todd Macuda is VP for business development and R&D at Gladstone Aerospace Consulting. He conducts operational research on the development of flight-enhancing cockpit technologies, synthetic training environments for pilots and related aircrews, and applied aeromedical research aimed at improving pilot health. He can be reached at tmac@gladstoneac.com.
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