Lasers and aviation Safety

1. Patrick Murphy Executive Director, International Laser Display Association SAE G-10T Committee Member Lasers and aviation Safety

2. Lasers and Aviation Safety • Laser pointer threat • Laser uses in airspace • Laser hazards in airspace • Hazard factors • Hazard reduction • Regulation and control

3. Laser pointer threat • Steady rise in incidents • Due to: • Lower cost • Higher powers(100-300 mW) • Green (more visible) • Internet (easy to obtain)

4. Laser pointer threat • January 1 – February 23, 2009: 148 laser illuminations of aircraft in the U.S. alone • 2.7 per day • February 22: 12 illuminations of aircraft landing at Sea-Tac

5. Laser pointer threat -- Australia • 140 incidents Jan. - April 2008 • March 2008 “coordinated attacks” in Sydney • Led to NSW ban on laser pointer import, sales and possession

6. Why not ban laser beams from airspace?

7. Laser use in airspace • “Guide star” lasers used in astronomy • Satellite communications and ranging • Atmospheric remote sensing

8. Laser use in airspace • Aircraft warning • Visual Warning System used in Washington Metropolitan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) • 7 locations • Green and red lasers, 1.5 watts • Visible up to 20 nautical miles away

10. Laser use in airspace • Entertainment • Nightly show at a fixed site (theme parks) • Infrequent shows at various sites (special events) • Usually only 30-60 minutes long

11. Not practical to ban lasers from airspace • Unduly restricts legitimate users • Does not prevent accidental illumination incidents • Does not stop deliberate targeting of aircraft • Ignorance – does not know effects • Malice – trying to cause harm

12. How are laser beams hazardous to aviation?

13. Primary hazard is to pilots • From visible laser beams: • Visual interference during critical phases of flight • Distraction, glare and flashblindness • Potential eye damage during any phase of flight • From non-visible (infrared, ultraviolet) beams: • Potential eye damage during any phase of flight

14. Visual interference • Distraction • Distracting, but can see past the light • 0.05 μW/cm2 • 5 mW laser pointer at 3,700 feet (1130m)

15. Visual interference • Glare • Interferes with vision • 5.0 μW/cm2 • 5 mW laser pointer at 1,200 feet (365m)

16. Visual interference • Temporary flashblindness • Blocks vision during and after exposure • 100 μW/cm2 • 5 mW laser pointer at 350 feet (107m)

17. Visual interference does affect pilots • 2004 FAA simulator study • Pilots flew a challenging “short-final” approach • Glare and flashblindness significant • Adverse effects for more than 50% of the approaches • 20-25% rate of aborted landings

18. Laser exposure in police helicopters

19. Potential eye damage • Can be caused by visible or non-visible laser beams, at power above the MPE • Unlikely, though possible • Few confirmed reports • “Damage” could be pre- or post-exposure • Previous eye injuries or abormalities • Rubbing the eye after exposure

20. Lasers vs. searchlights: Toet, 2009 • High-intensity searchlights • Carbon arc light, HID arc light, HMI “Dominator”, 4K xenon Skytracker • 3.5 mW laser from RadioShack • Aimed at helicopter in San Antonio tests

22. Lasers vs. searchlights: Toet, 2009 • At 200-500 meters, no adverse effects from searchlights • Laser pointer “impossible to perceive details outside … impact was unacceptable”. • Glare, flashblindness and afterimages from laser; not from searchlights • Laser beam appeared suddenly, “thus causing additional startle"

27. Hazards summary

28. A plea for properly proportioned diagrams!

31. 6 watt, 532 nm, 1.1 mrad laser • Eye hazard to 1600 feet (488m) • Flashblindness to 8200 feet (1.5 mi/2.5 km) • Glare to 36,800 feet (7 mi/11.2 km) • Distraction to 368,000 feet (70 mi/112 km)

32. What are the factors affecting the hazard level?

33. Factors affecting hazard level • Laser factors • Power, divergence, visible/non-visible, wavelength, pulsed vs. CW • Operational factors • Area covered in sky (stationary vs. moving) • Location relative to airports • Terminated vs. non-terminated beams • Use of airspace observers (spotters) • Use of automated detection (radar, cameras)

34. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 1) • Situational factors • Day vs. night • Aircraft speed and distance (helicopters at risk) • Laser pointer user factors • Deliberate (longer and more exposures) vs. accidental (short, single event)

35. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 2) • Pilot factors • Read NOTAMs • Flight phase (takeoff, landing, emergency) • Pilot experience and training • Recognizing a laser event • Properly responding, to successfully avoid problems

36. Factors affecting hazard level (cont. 3) • Legal and regulatory • Follow aviation authority procedures • FAA, CDRH in US • Laws against interference • Restrict the sale or use of laser devices • May not be practical • May give false sense of security • Does not guard against deliberate intent

37. Single most effective way to reduce the hazard?

38. Pilot training reduces the hazard • Laser illuminations can be managed with training • Effective against both accidental and deliberate exposures • Not a substitute for regulations and restrictions on law-abiding laser users

39. Other important ways to reduce the hazard

40. Laser sellers and manufacturers • Educate heavy laser pointer users • www.LaserPointerSafety.com • Self-regulation/education by laser pointer sellers • Package inserts • Permanent labels on laser pointers • Laser pointer seller participation in regulatory efforts • Laser pointer seller trade association

41. www.LaserPointerSafety.com • Facts, news and links on laser pointer safety • Help reduce annoying and dangerous incidents • “Bad for safety” – pilots, drivers • “Bad for yourself” – possible arrest, fines, jail • “Bad for pointers” – misuse will lead to bans

42. Regulatory and standards bodies • Require an “Aviation Safety Label” on appropriate lasers • Low cost and easy to implement • Labels are already required on lasers • Addresses a hazard not on previous labels • Provides legal notice to users • Helps establish willful intent

43. Aircraft warning on label WARNING: DO NOT SHINE YOUR LASER AT AN AIRCRAFT Shooting a laser at an aircraft is considered a felony in the U.S.

44. ILDA’s Aviation Safety Label proposal • Label required on • Lasers with visible beams • Class 3 and Class 4 • Longest dimension is 15 inches or less:“handheld”

45. ILDA’s Aviation Safety Label proposal (2) • Required text varies, depending on space available for label

46. ILDA’s Aviation Safety Label proposal (3) • Details required in User Manual • Label text can vary for special lasers • Laser Rescue Flare • “DO NOT aim at or near aircraft, except to make your position known in an emergency situation or when a cooperating aircraft is looking for your signal. It is otherwise illegal to aim at aircraft and distract pilots.” • Lasers used by government to notify or aid pilots

47. ILDA’s Aviation Safety Label proposal (4) • Exemptions: • Lasers larger than “handheld” • High-divergence or diffuse beam • <5 µW/cm² at all distances beyond 500 feet • Visual equivalence formula • Takes wavelength into account • Equivalent of <5 µW/cm² at 500 feet at 555 nm • Diffracted lasers (“star” projectors)

48. ILDA’s Aviation Safety Label proposal (5) • How to require? • Easiest for CDRH to suggest voluntary “guidance” • ILDA prefers mandated regulation

49. What regulations must be followed in the U.S.?

50. U.S. regulations • Federal Aviation Administration • Has no direct authority over laser uses • Requests that laser uses be reviewed in advance by aerospace specialists • Issues a “Letter of Non-Objection” if OK;a “Letter of Objection” if not OK