THE problem of lazers being aimed at aircrafts landing at King Shaka International and Virginia Airports is on the rise. While there have been no aircraft crashes as a result of the lazer pointing, the repercussions according to pilots who fly the planes at thousands of feet in the air, could be catastrophic.
There have been several instances where pilots have been flashed over Durban North and uMhlanga. According to commercial pilot Brad Hatfield, the powerful green beam of light floods the cockpit, temporarily blinding pilots. Hatfield who pilots a Robinson 44 helicopter said that on more than one occasion, when coming in to land at Virginia Airport he had fallen victim to the blinding beam.
Green laser more powerful than you think
“You experience flash blindness and then you experience the after-imaging for a few seconds,” he explained. “Another problem is that the beam is much larger at long distances than you might think. Even though the laser projects a small, millimetre-sized dot close up, at longer distances the beam can be many inches across. When the beam hits the windscreen of a cockpit, or the bubble of a helicopter, the glass helps spread the light out even more.”
“These lasers pose a serious threat to the safety of the aircraft as the pilots are flying with visual reference to the ground and a laser directed into the pilots eyes can cause temporary blindness which can potentially have disastrous consequences,” the commercial pilot said.
He added residents who witness lasers being directed at an aircraft have a responsibility to report the incident immediately to the relevant law enforcement authority.
Lasers have no commercial application
Chairman of the Durban North/uMhlanga Community Police Forum, Haden Searles, said there have been a number of incidents in the Durban North area over the last few years.
“These green lasers which are readily available, inexpensive, extremely powerful and have huge potential for damage. In my opinion there is no commercial application for them and people shouldn’t have them.
“It might seem like harmless fun and amusing, but the reality is, it’s an offense under the Civil Aviation Act and if prosecuted individuals can face a fine and/or imprisonment up to 10 years,” Searles said.
Police close in on culprits
King Shaka International Airport spokesperson, Colin Naidoo, said police had made major strides in clamping down on culprits.
“We are aware of the incidents reported, mostly our air traffic control room get reports of bright lights filling the cockpit. The people that sell these lasers need to realise the impact they have and the people using them should not be using them as a gimmick or a toy,” Naidoo said.
