Laser illumination of cockpit pdf

To determine the interaction of an airj, aft windscreen and lowlevel laser illumination on visual search performance, human subjects were exposed to three laser power densities while seated in a passive cockpit simulator. Inform your flight surgeon of exposure or if you have additional questionsconcerns. The ac includes instructions for flight crewmembers and air traffic personnel on how to report laser events and a laser. Laser illumination event data involving civilian aircraft in the united states for a 5year. Laser illumination threat, guidance, and crew actions 3 crewmember actions checklist when struck by a laser on approach, do not continue to look into the beam. Even if the laser doesnt cause temporary or permanent injury to the pilots eyes, it causes them to lose night vision. Ac 702a reporting of laser illumination of aircraft.

Bangkok, 2124 march 2016 safety and security innovations. Laser illumination during these critical operations can create unsafe conditions by distracting or visually impairing flight crewmembers, thus disrupting cockpit. For each colored laser, outdoor measurements were taken at night using 2009, 5009, 9, 15009, and 20009 distances. Laser illumination event data involving civilian aircraft in the united states for a 5year period january 1, 2004 to december 31, 2008 were examined for this study. Aug 29, 2012 this video helps educate airman and aircraft operators on the effects of lasers aimed at an aircraft cockpit, and provides suggested response techniques to be used by the pilot if this type of. Lasers and aviation safety patrick murphy abstract when laser beams intersect an aircraft. In 1995, an increase in the number of laser illuminations mostly from laser light shows resulting in the disruption of cockpit operations, prompted the faa to revise faa order 7400. Laser illumination during these critical operations can create unsafe conditions by distracting or visually impairing flight crewmembers, thus disrupting cockpit procedures. Laser illumination of commercial airplanes is a growing threat to operational safety, and the number of incidents is increasing. Our primary source of light is from a laser diode, and lasers, by definition, are monochromatic and emit at a small divergence angle. Illuminate turn up the cockpit lights to minimize any further. The effects of laser illumination on operational and visual performance of pilots on final approach pdf laser illumination of flight crew personnel study 20042008 pdf top of page planning light shows and other outdoor laser operations laser faqs and contact information advisory circular 701 outdoor laser operations pdf faa form 71401. Measuring intensity of laser light penetrating flight.

Using lasers of varying power, the illumination of a legal 5 mw laser pointer in a cockpit could be established at a range of distances figures 1 and 2. This action will protect your eyes while the laser light is illuminating the cockpit. The cockpit environment was illuminated by laser beam in 1,676 67. Laser eye protection lep is one mitigation method available to pilots. Pilot performance was assessed in a boeing 727200, level c, flight simulator using four levels of laser illumination 0, 0. At altitude levels associated with the faas laser free zone 02,000 feet, cockpit illuminations increased from 12. The illumination of aircraft at altitude by laser beams federal. The effects of laser illumination on operational and visual performance of pilots during final approach 7. The most wellknown cause of this is the pupils of your eyes. Aero reducing the threat of laser illuminations boeing. Hellfire the hellfire agm114 is a laserguided, antiarmor.

These devices include lasers used to conduct outdoor laser light. Laser illumination threat mitigation january 2011 iii recommended crew actions 1 when struck by a laser on approach, do not look into the beam. Lasers and aviation safety international laser display association. The primary aiming system, shkval, provides acquisition and automatic target guidance. The other problem is that, in our lab, the laser hazards are. The link is to an online pdf of the entire magazine. The revised order established exposure limits to prevent temporary visual impairment in three new zones. Once on the ground, request and complete a laser beam exposure questionnaire i. Illumination devices handheld lasers emit infrared ir light for compatibili. The illumination of aircraft at altitude by laser beams.

The effects of laser illumination on operational and. Concerns about the hazards to aviation caused by the use and misuse of lasers in navigable airspace in particular for pilots during critical flight phases date back to. Sae arp 55982009 sae arp55982009 unauthorized laser. How pilots can help reduce incident severity laser pointer safety. If not, consider handing over the control of the aircraft to the nonexposecrewmember. Aircraft accidents and incidents associated with visual. When theyre exposed to a sudden bright light, they close up again. Concerns about the hazards to aviation caused by the use and misuse of lasers in navigable airspace in particular for pilots during critical flight phases date back to the 1990s.

Dec 06, 2016 once on the ground, request and complete a laser beam exposure questionnaire i. By rick darby ground effect flight safety foundation. During these illumination incidents, fortunately, the risk of permanent. Turning up cockpit lighting may assist in overcoming the flash aftereffects peripheral vision may still. Physical reactions to laser illumination visible light spectrum physiological effects include. Laser illumination of flight crew personnel by month, day of. Faa laser beam exposure questionnaire 09222012 rac r8 what seat in the cockpit were you occupying at the time of the laser beam exposure. Effects of laser illumination on operational and visual. This cockpit lts illuminated rocker switch is a special contura v style made to be laser engraved, as pictured above.

Turn up the cockpit lights to minimise any further illumination effects. For more information check out the faas laser safety initiative and particularly the video here. Each lasers measurements were then analyzed as described in the 2. Reporting of laser illumination of aircraft was published by the faa in late 2004, more than 3,200 laser incidents have been reported within the united states, along with hundreds more internationally. Whether the laser beam light was steady or flashing 8. How many other laser light sources were observed at the time of the encounter 10. In order to create white light from a laser source, there are two main methods.

This advisory circular ac provides information to the aviation community, particularly aircrews operating within the national airspace system nas on measures taken by the federal aviation administration faa to address incidents of unauthorized illumination of. Laser illumination to achieve good quality images equal consideration should be given to the illumination source as to the camera resolution and sensitivity. During these activities, the pilots visual workload is highest, and the time to recover from exposure to a visually debilitating light source is minimal. Guidelines for laser light and firework display organizers. Federal aviation administration faa laser incident database contains more than 3,200 reports of incidents since 2004 and provides information on the locations, altitudes, color of light, and phases of flight that show the most activity. The effects of laser illumination on operational and visual performance of pilots during final approach article pdf available june 2004 with 204 reads how we measure reads. The effects of laser illumination on operational and visual performance of pilots. This works in conjunction with the prichal system that provides laser illumination and rangefinder. It is a great upgrade to our popular contura ii style cockpit lts rocker switch this product is the entire switch combo, and includes both the switch body and the labeled cover. Sae arp 55982009 sae arp55982009 unauthorized laser illuminations. This manual contains information and guidance provided. Federal aviation administration faa laser incident database contains more than 3,200 reports of incidents since 2004 and provides information on the locations, altitudes, color of light, and phases of flight. Cockpit lts illuminated rocker switch contura v backlit.

Whether the laser beam was stationary and the aircraft flew into it or whether the beam motion was random and the aircraft targeted 9. Laser illumination of flight crew personnel by month, day. How many crewmembers on the flight had laser light shined directly in their eyes. You should never aim a laser pointer at or near an airplane or helicopter. It is a similar shape, but different texture and appearance than contura v switches that are meant to be printed. Original 21minute aircraft laser illumination video jointly produced by faa and air force. A similar, earlier faa perspective is in the article blinded by the light. Jun 18, 2009 safety warning message misuse of lasers illumination of aircraft and atc towers. The maximum penalty for aiming a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft is. Maintaining this mesopic state can sometimes be difficult. Laser illumination threat mitigation january 2010 iii recommended crew actions 1 when struck by a laser on approach, do not continue to look into the beam.

This genuine carling rocker switch labeled cockpit lts is manufactured by laser marking, not printing. The cockpit of the helicopter was illuminated with a laser light while flying in the vicinity of the previous illumination. Laser illumination of pilots in the nas march 2326, 2009 since 1976, the food and drug administrations fdas, center for devices and radiological health cdrh has regulated the manufacturers of all laser devices sold in the u. This video helps educate airman and aircraft operators on the effects of lasers aimed at an aircraft cockpit, and provides suggested response techniques to be used by the pilot if this type of. This document addresses the operational safety and human factors aspects of unauthorized laser illumination events in navigable airspace. Pdf the effects of laser illumination on operational and. In the cockpit the illumination will appear as a series of flashes. Safety warning message misuse of lasers illumination of aircraft and atc towers. Laser technology allows for a stunning backlight effect. For lowlight operations, the aircraft can be equipped with a fuselagemounted pod with a lowlevel.

Although lasers are capable of causing retinal damage, most laser cockpit illuminations, to date, has been relatively low in irradiance causing primarily startle reactions, visual glare, flashblindness and afterimages. Laser illumination could come from either accidental illumination of the aircraft or tower by a commercial entertainment or advertising display, or intentional illumination of the aircraft or tower by an individual or individuals. Laser beams projected into airspace and intercept aircraft have caused distractions and temporary vision impairment to pilots. The effects of laser eye protection on color recognition. Flight informationflight number, call sign and aircraft registration number aircraft make and modelcategory of. Laser pointer safety how pilots can help reduce incident.

Laser illumination of flight crewmembers by altitude and. Cockpit laser illumination cockpit protection 22nd flight safety conference bangkok, 2124 march 2016 9reduce laser illuminations to a safe optical level 9comply with safe flight operations even at night 9be compliant and integrated to aircraft environment 9retrofit on all aircraft. Learn how to recognize and recover from a laser illumination. Overview of laser illumination incidents and effects on pilots. In the dark, the pupils open up to allow in as much light as possible. If you have an incorrectly lit subject the resulting image will always be of a poor standard irrespective of the quality of the camera system. Unauthorized laser illumination event, at 0100z, 8 mile final runway 18r at 3,000 feet, green laser from the southwest. A laser illumination incident begins quite suddenly as the flight deck is filled with a bright light. Permanent eye injuries from unauthorized laser exposures have been extremely rare. A view from the cockpit when the aircraft is illuminated by a 5mw laser from a variety of distances.

This is a hazard that has the potential to change an ordinary approach and landing into a disastrous accident. Should distractions or physiological impairment disrupt cockpit procedures, fl ight crew coordination, or. Misuse of lasers illumination of aircraft and atc towers. Even if you know the exact frequencies, filters with enough rejection in the stop band to make laser illumination safe are probably also going to have a significant amount of attenuation outside the stop band. A look at cockpit laser illumination events in the julyaugust 2009 issue of faa aviation news. With helicopters at close range, it is possible to have a moreorless continuous light.

To date i dont believe any accidents have been attributed to laser illumination, but it is well within the realm of possibility, and the upward trend in laser illuminations of aircraft means the likelihood of such an accident is also increasing. Icao doc 9815, manual on laser emitters and flight safety. Laser striking is a growing safety concern for pilots and aircraft passengers and there is a great need to develop a wideangle and shiftfree laser filter and protection device. Mitigating laser attacks in critical flight zones, proposed by an international team of nine undergraduate students at binghamton university state university of new york, is an active approach aimed at stopping directed laser illuminations from affecting pilots during all flight phases. Because it is very hard for the perpetrator to acquire and maintain steady illumination of a moving target. Federal aviation laser illumination of pilots in the. Federal aviation administration faa laserincident database contains more than 3,200 reports of incidents since 2004 and provides information on the locations, altitudes, color of light, and phases of flight that show the most activity. The authorities were able to identify the location of the laser light, and an individual was arrested for both incidents. Our main application for this project is illumination, more specifically, automotive headlights. Mar 18, 2014 unauthorized laser illumination event, at 0100z, 8 mile final runway 18r at 3,000 feet, green laser from the southwest. Most of the lasers used in illumination seem to have been ordinary handheld laser pointers.