| This issue finally came to a head in early January | | | | not to shine the laser beam into passing cars, |
| when FBI agents arrested David Banach, 38, | | | | airplanes, or other vehicles, into windows of |
| coming from Parsippany, N.J., and charged him | | | | houses, into the eyes of any person or animal, |
| under the Patriot Act with interfering with a flight | | | | into mirrors, or into any optical instrument that |
| crew. Banach allegedly shined a green laser into | | | | might focus the laser into someone's eyes. |
| the cockpit of a chartered business jet Dec. 29 as | | | | If legal 5 mW handheld laser pointers are |
| the aircraft was on approach to nearby | | | | determined to be legitimate terrorist threats, then |
| Teterboro Airport. | | | | federal law-enforcement authorities would have |
| Pilots of the aircraft, in various news reports, | | | | their work cut out for them. At least 100,000 |
| claim to have been "temporarily blinded," | | | | green lasers reportedly were sold in the U.S. in |
| "distracted," or "startled" when Banach's laser | | | | 2004 alone, which is reportedly twice the number |
| beam hit their cockpit windows and scattered its | | | | sold in 2003. |
| green light throughout the cockpit. | | | | This number does not include lasers more |
| Similar but unrelated incidents of laser beams | | | | powerful than 5 mW, which may be operated |
| hitting aircraft have been reported in Cleveland; | | | | only with special permits, for outdoor |
| Houston; and Washington. To date, no permanent | | | | entertainment and similar applications. |
| injuries to the eyes have been reported. | | | | It is unclear at this early stage whether federal |
| Federal authorities have said they do not suspect | | | | authorities will consider recommending or requiring |
| terrorism in any of these cases, but instead want | | | | aircraft pilots to have laser-protection gear |
| to make clear that they take the matter of | | | | available to them in the cockpit-or what types of |
| lasers hitting aircraft seriously. | | | | protective gear would be involved. |
| In New Jersey, FBI agents confiscated from | | | | One thing is clear from these incidents, however. |
| Banach a handheld Class III 5 mW green laser, | | | | Laser beams that hit aircraft are potentially |
| which produces a beam in the 532-nm | | | | harmful, even if they do not cause permanent |
| wavelength, that he bought from Chongqing | | | | eye damage. The bright laser flash can startle or |
| Optics company in China.. | | | | disorient pilots, and could cause the temporarily |
| Bigha officials claim the freaklaser is the "brightest, | | | | loss of night vision, which is precious to pilots |
| most reliable laser you can operate without a | | | | operating aircraft after dark. |
| special permit." One of the laser's most common | | | | Common sense dictates that green lasers are |
| uses is pointing out distant objects, such as stars, | | | | useful and amusing tools when used properly, |
| planets, and objects on Earth. | | | | but-like kitchen knives, hunting rifles, and |
| The human eye is more sensitive to green than it | | | | carpenter's tools-can be dangerous in the wrong |
| is to red, and a 5 mW green laser beam appears | | | | hands or used improperly. |
| to be far brighter than a 5 mW red laser beam, | | | | No one would innocently shoot a firearm at a |
| experts say. | | | | passing aircraft. It stands to reason that no one |
| Bigha's site on the World Wide Web warns users | | | | would innocently flash a laser at an aircraft either. |