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| Lasers should be classed as offensive weapons - pilots' union | Lasers should be classed as offensive weapons - pilots' union |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Laser pointers should be classed as "offensive weapons", the British Airline Pilots Association has said. | Laser pointers should be classed as "offensive weapons", the British Airline Pilots Association has said. |
| The call comes after a New York-bound plane was forced to turn back to London Heathrow Airport after a laser beam hit the cockpit after take off, causing a "medical issue" for one of the pilots. | The call comes after a New York-bound plane was forced to turn back to London Heathrow Airport after a laser beam hit the cockpit after take off, causing a "medical issue" for one of the pilots. |
| It is illegal to shine a light at a plane "so as to dazzle the pilot", but not an offence to own or carry a laser. | It is illegal to shine a light at a plane "so as to dazzle the pilot", but not an offence to own or carry a laser. |
| The union says they are "incredibly dangerous", and could blind pilots. | The union says they are "incredibly dangerous", and could blind pilots. |
| Virgin Atlantic flight VS025 turned back after it was struck by the laser on Sunday evening, about six or seven miles west of Heathrow. | Virgin Atlantic flight VS025 turned back after it was struck by the laser on Sunday evening, about six or seven miles west of Heathrow. |
| How dangerous are lasers to planes? | How dangerous are lasers to planes? |
| 'It's only a matter of time until someone dies' | 'It's only a matter of time until someone dies' |
| "This is not an isolated incident," British Airline Pilots Association's (Balpa's) general secretary Jim McAuslan said. "Aircraft are attacked with lasers at an alarming rate and with lasers with ever-increasing strength." | |
| "Modern lasers have the power to blind and certainly to act as a huge distraction and to dazzle the pilots during critical phases of flight." | "Modern lasers have the power to blind and certainly to act as a huge distraction and to dazzle the pilots during critical phases of flight." |
| Former pilot and fellow member of the pilot's union Dave Smith said legislation on lasers - first introduced in 2010 - should be much tougher. | |
| "The law from 2010 is just an offence of shining the laser into the cockpit, but of course that is very difficult to prove," he said. | |
| Balpa is calling for sales of all but the lowest power devices to be regulated. | |
| "Lasers should be specifically included in the offensive weapons legislation so that if someone is found to be carrying a laser without good reason then they are treated in the same way as if they are carrying a knife," a spokeswoman added. | |
| 'Over the internet' | |
| But Dr John O'Hagan, a laser safety expert at Public Health England, believes the existing laws are adequate. | |
| "Our recommendation is that only low-powered lasers, one milliwatt - one thousandth of a watt - should be generally available to the public. | |
| "And in the UK now it is relatively unusual to be able to buy a laser, that looks like a laser pointer, that's at a higher power. The trouble is that you can buy them over the internet at much higher powers." | |
| Lasers produce a concentrated, pencil-like beam of light which can be directed over large distances. | Lasers produce a concentrated, pencil-like beam of light which can be directed over large distances. |
| They vary in strength and have a wide variety of uses, including CD readers, printers, barcode scanners, presentational aids, DIY alignment tools and medical surgery. | They vary in strength and have a wide variety of uses, including CD readers, printers, barcode scanners, presentational aids, DIY alignment tools and medical surgery. |
| It is the misuse of laser pointers, sometimes referred to as laser pens, which is generating concern. | It is the misuse of laser pointers, sometimes referred to as laser pens, which is generating concern. |
| 'Precautionary measure' | 'Precautionary measure' |
| Last year, a man who targeted a Police Scotland helicopter with a laser pen was jailed for 12 months after detectives used thermal imaging equipment to locate him. | Last year, a man who targeted a Police Scotland helicopter with a laser pen was jailed for 12 months after detectives used thermal imaging equipment to locate him. |
| Craig Ryan, 23, shone the beam at the aircraft from his garden in Stevenston, forcing the pilot to take evasive action. | Craig Ryan, 23, shone the beam at the aircraft from his garden in Stevenston, forcing the pilot to take evasive action. |
| In 2014 three men from Leicestershire were jailed for using laser pens to dazzle pilots coming in to land at East Midlands Airport. | In 2014 three men from Leicestershire were jailed for using laser pens to dazzle pilots coming in to land at East Midlands Airport. |
| In one case the pilots' vision was so badly affected that they had to cover the cockpit and land using instruments alone. | In one case the pilots' vision was so badly affected that they had to cover the cockpit and land using instruments alone. |
| The Metropolitan Police has said it is investigating Sunday's incident but there have been no arrests so far. | The Metropolitan Police has said it is investigating Sunday's incident but there have been no arrests so far. |
| Virgin Atlantic said the flight returned to the west London airport as a "precautionary measure" after the co-pilot reported feeling unwell. | Virgin Atlantic said the flight returned to the west London airport as a "precautionary measure" after the co-pilot reported feeling unwell. |
| Passengers were grounded overnight and due to board an alternative flight at 13:00 GMT on Monday but some complained about the length of the delay. | Passengers were grounded overnight and due to board an alternative flight at 13:00 GMT on Monday but some complained about the length of the delay. |
| Photographer Max Earey tweeted: "So the aircraft lands @10.30pm but you can't get me out again until 1pm tomorrow! REALLY @VirginAtlantic I'm losing a whole day of my trip." | Photographer Max Earey tweeted: "So the aircraft lands @10.30pm but you can't get me out again until 1pm tomorrow! REALLY @VirginAtlantic I'm losing a whole day of my trip." |
| But Jessica Moore, who was travelling to New York for a holiday with her boyfriend, said she thought the pilots were right to turn around. | But Jessica Moore, who was travelling to New York for a holiday with her boyfriend, said she thought the pilots were right to turn around. |
| "Many people on the plane were quite worried they weren't telling us the whole truth but I didn't think that was the case," she said. | "Many people on the plane were quite worried they weren't telling us the whole truth but I didn't think that was the case," she said. |
| According to Balpa, being hit with a laser can result in temporary vision loss associated with flash blindness; a "visual interference that persists after the source of illumination has been removed". | According to Balpa, being hit with a laser can result in temporary vision loss associated with flash blindness; a "visual interference that persists after the source of illumination has been removed". |
| It can also cause an after-image - an "image left in the visual field after exposure to a bright light" - and glare in the cockpit. | It can also cause an after-image - an "image left in the visual field after exposure to a bright light" - and glare in the cockpit. |
| In November 2015 it was reported that the eye of a British Airways pilot was damaged after a "military" strength laser was shone into his aircraft. | In November 2015 it was reported that the eye of a British Airways pilot was damaged after a "military" strength laser was shone into his aircraft. |
| Between January 2009 and June 2015 more than 8,998 laser incidents across the country were reported to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). | |
| In 2014 alone, there were 1,440 reported incidents in the UK. Heathrow had the most, at 168. | In 2014 alone, there were 1,440 reported incidents in the UK. Heathrow had the most, at 168. |
| Manchester International airport had the second most in that period, with 107, followed by Birmingham airport, with 92, and Leeds Bradford airport, with 81. | Manchester International airport had the second most in that period, with 107, followed by Birmingham airport, with 92, and Leeds Bradford airport, with 81. |
| In the US, CNN reported, there were 20 incidents during one night alone in November last year. | In the US, CNN reported, there were 20 incidents during one night alone in November last year. |
| Aviation expert Julian Bray said he had heard of "laser tagging" games, where people would try to shine a beam onto the fuselage of an aircraft. | Aviation expert Julian Bray said he had heard of "laser tagging" games, where people would try to shine a beam onto the fuselage of an aircraft. |
| Such incidents were becoming fairly common, he said, and were "very, very dangerous". | Such incidents were becoming fairly common, he said, and were "very, very dangerous". |
| A CAA spokesman said: "We strongly urge anyone who sees a laser being used at night in the vicinity of an airport to contact the police immediately." | A CAA spokesman said: "We strongly urge anyone who sees a laser being used at night in the vicinity of an airport to contact the police immediately." |
| Were you on the flight? Are you a pilot? Have you been affected by a similar incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Were you on the flight? Are you a pilot? Have you been affected by a similar incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |