A Review of Recent Laser 

Illumination Events in the 

Aviation Environment

Van B. Nakagawara

Kathryn J. Wood

Ron W. Montgomery

Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Federal Aviation Administration

Oklahoma City, OK 73125

October 2006

Final Report

DOT/FAA/AM-06/23

Office of Aerospace Medicine

Washington, DC 20591
NOTICE

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of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest 

of information exchange. The United States Government 

assumes no liability for the contents thereof.

___________

This publication and all Office of Aerospace Medicine technical reports are 

available in full-text from the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s publications 

Web site: 

www.faa.gov/library/reports/medical/oamtechreports/index.cfm
i

Technical Report Documentation Page 

1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 

DOT/FAA/AM-06/23 

4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date 

A Review of Recent Laser Illumination Events in the Aviation Environment October 2006 

6. Performing Organization Code 

 

7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. 

Nakagawara VB, Wood KJ, Montgomery RW 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 

FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute 

P.O. Box 25082 11. Contract or Grant No. 

Oklahoma City, OK 73125 

12. Sponsoring Agency name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 

Office of Aerospace Medicine 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Ave., S.W. 

Washington, DC 20591 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

15. Supplemental Notes 

 

16. Abstract 

INTRODUCTION: Flight crewmember exposure to laser light, while operating an aircraft at night, has resulted 

in glare, flashblindness, and afterimage. Temporary visual impairment and the distraction, disorientation, and 

discomfort that can accompany it often result in hazardous situations. A database of aviation reports involving 

laser illumination of flight crewmembers has been established and maintained at the Civil Aerospace Medical 

Institute. A review of recent laser illumination reports was initiated to investigate the significance of these events. 

METHODS: Reports of high-intensity light illumination of aircraft were collected from Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) regional offices, Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland 

Security/Federal Bureau of Investigation Information Bulletins, the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation, 

newspaper articles, and interviews with pilots submitted by the airline industry. Reports that involved laser 

exposures of civilian aircraft in the United States were analyzed for the 13-month period (January 1, 2004 – 

January 31, 2005). RESULTS: There were 90 reported instances of laser illumination during the study period. A 

total of 53 reports involved laser exposure of commercial aircraft. Lasers illuminated the cockpit in 41 (46%) of 

the incidents. Of those, 13 (32%) incidents resulted in visual impairment or distraction to a pilot, including 1 

incident that reportedly resulted in ocular injury. Nearly 96% of these reports occurred in the last 3 months of 

the study period. There were no aviation accidents in which laser light illumination was found to be a 

contributing factor. CONCLUSION: The study of laser illumination incidents in the national airspace system 

can identify the operational problems that result from such events. Improved reporting and analysis of laser 

events enhances aviation safety by providing the FAA with data necessary to assist in the development of 

methods for mitigating the effects of laser exposure. 

 

17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement 

 

 

Vision, Visual Impairment, Lasers, Aviation Document is available to the public through the 

Defense Technical Information Center, Ft. Belvior, VA 

22060; and the National Technical Information 

Service, Springfield, VA 22161 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price 

Unclassified Unclassified 11 

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized 

1

A Review of Recent Laser Illumination Events

in the Aviation Environment

INTRODUCTION

LASER is an acronym that stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The electrons 

of the atoms within the lasing medium are excited or 

“pumped” above their ground state. Energy contained in 

these electrons is amplified until it is released in the form 

of photons (particles of light), a process called stimulated 

emission. This process results in the laser emitting photons 

of a specific wavelength that are coherent (photons in 

phase with each other) and a directional (very strong and 

concentrated) beam of light. If this beam is incident on 

an object, laser energy may be partially absorbed, raising 

the temperature of the surface and/or the interior of the 

object, potentially causing an alteration or deformation 

of the material. These properties have been put to use 

in many ways, including laser surgery and material processing. In addition to thermal effects upon tissue, there 

can also be photochemical effects when the wavelength 

of the laser radiation, typically expressed in nanometers 

(nm, or 10-9 m), is in the ultraviolet or blue region of the 

spectrum and irradiance level is high (1).

Generally, in humans the eye is more vulnerable to 

injury from laser radiation than the skin. The cornea (the 

clear, outer most surface of the eye), unlike the skin, does 

not have an external layer of dead cells for protection 

(2). In the far-ultraviolet (< 300 nm) and far-infrared

(> 1400 nm) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, the 

cornea absorbs this energy and may be damaged. At certain wavelengths in the near-ultraviolet region and in the 

near-infrared region, the crystalline lens of the eye may be 

vulnerable to injury (Figure 1) (1,3). Of greatest concern, 

however, is exposure to excessive levels of radiation in the 

retinal hazard region of the spectrum, approximately 400 

nm (violet) to 1400 nm (near-infrared), which includes 

the entire visible portion of the spectrum (approximately 

400 – 700 nm). Within the retinal hazard region, the 

eye’s optical system focuses radiation to a point (10-20 

microns in diameter), exposing the retinal tissue to high 

levels of energy per unit area (2).

Laser exposure is most hazardous when the direct laser 

beam, or its specular (mirror-like) reflection, enters the 

pupil along the axis of vision when the eye is focused on 

a distant object. The energy density of the laser beam 

can be intensified up to 100,000 times by the focusing 

action of the eye. If the irradiance entering the eye is 1 

mW/cm2, the irradiance at the retina will be 100 W/cm2

(4). Direct viewing of a laser beam through binoculars 

or some other magnifying device tends to increase the 

hazard, depending on the optical power of the device 

and the incident laser’s characteristics. 

Two studies show that exposure to a green Class 3A 

laser will cause retina damage in as little as 60 seconds, 

while no damage resulted from equally long exposures to a 

red Class 3A laser pointer (5,6). However, brief exposures 

to low-level laser radiation are more likely to result in 

temporary visual impairment. The severity and duration 

of the impairment varies significantly, depending on the 

intensity and wavelength of the light, the individual’s 

current state of light (or dark) adaptation, the use of 

photosensitizing medications, and even the person’s skin 

pigmentation (eye color). When the human eye is darkadapted (scotopic vision) it is more sensitive to light at 

507 nm, while the light-adapted (photopic vision) eye 

perceives yellow-green light (555 nm) more vividly. 

Temporary visual impairment is associated with adverse 

visual effects that include: glare (a temporary disruption 

in vision caused by the presence of a bright light within 

an individual’s field of vision); flashblindness (the inability 

to see, caused by bright light entering the eye that persists 

after the illumination has ceased); and afterimage (an 

image that remains in the visual field after an exposure 

to a bright light). While none of these visual effects cause 

permanent eye injury, the distraction, disorientation, or 

discomfort that often accompanies them can create a 

Figure 1: Light absorption characteristics of the 

human eye
2

hazardous situation for pilots performing critical flight 

operations (7).

In the 1990s, several incidents of illumination of 

flight-crew personnel were attributed to light from laser 

demonstrations designed for public amusement or attractions. Subsequently, in 1995 the FAA established flightsafe exposure limits for lasers projected into specific zones 

of navigable airspace to protect aircraft operations around 

airports. Development of these exposure limits relied on 

existing scientific research, along with consultation with 

industry and governmental laser experts and aviation 

safety personnel. The resulting guidelines were published 

in FAA Order 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace 

Matters, Chapter 29, Outdoor Laser Operations (8). The 

order identifies three zones of protected airspace around 

airports and assigns specific exposure limits to these zones 

(Figure 2). Within these zones, laser emissions above that 

which could cause vision impairment and interfere with 

normal flight operations are prohibited. These zones 

include the laser free zone (50 nW/cm2) (Figure 3), 

critical flight zone (5 μW/cm2), and sensitive flight zone 

(100 μW/cm2). Incident reports collected by the Civil 

Aerospace Medical Institute’s (CAMI’s) Vision Research 

Team indicate that implementation of these guidelines has 

resulted in a substantial reduction in accidental exposure 

of pilots to entertainment and demonstration laser light 

shows. However, these procedures are only useful when 

laser proponents comply with applicable guidelines and 

voluntarily notify the FAA of proposed outdoor laser 

operations. No order or regulation can prevent thoughtless individuals, criminals, or terrorists from using lasers 

to interfere with the operation of law enforcement and 

emergency medical evacuation helicopters or private and 

commercial aircraft.

A database of laser exposure incidents has been 

maintained at CAMI for nearly a decade. As a result of 

numerous incidents that occurred in the fall/winter of 

2004, there was renewed interest in outdoor laser operations and their impact on aviation activities. This paper 

reviews recent incidents involving lasers to investigate 

the significance of these events. It also discusses issues 

that Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) and eyecare 

practitioners should be aware of when consulting with 

pilots concerned about this new threat to themselves and 

aviation safety.

METHODS

Reports of high-intensity light illumination of civilian 

aircraft were collected from various sources including: FAA 

regional offices, Transportation Security Administration 

(TSA), Department of Homeland Security/Federal Bureau 

Investigation Information Bulletin, the FAA’s Office of 

Accident Investigation, newspaper articles, and personal 

Figure 2: Zones of protected airspace around a single-runway airport

SENSITIVE FLIGHT ZONE

100 μW/cm2

CRITICAL FLIGHT ZONE

5 μW/cm2

LASER FREE FLIGHT ZONE

50 nW/cm2

AIRPORT REFERENCE POINT (ARP)

10 NM 10 NM

TO BE 5 NM 5 NM

DETERMINED

TO BE

DETERMINED

2000 ft 8000 ft TO BE

DETERMINED
3

Table 1. 1/1/2004-1/31/2005 Laser Strikes by Month and Type of Flying

Month Type of Flying 

 Commercial General

Aviation 

Law 

Enforcement Unknown Total 

May 1 1 

Sept 2 2 

Oct 1 1 

Nov 4 1* 8 13 

Dec 20 1 2 4 27 

Total 2004 27 3 2 12 44 

Jan 2005 26 6 2 12 46 

TOTAL 53 9 4 24 90 

*Blimp

Figure 3: Protected zones of airspace around an 

airport
4

interviews with reporting and investigating personnel. 

Details from these reports were entered in a computer 

database maintained by the Vision Research Team at 

CAMI. Those reports that involved laser exposure of 

civilian aircraft in the United States were analyzed for 

the 13-month period (January 1, 2004 – January 31, 

2005).

RESULTS

The laser illumination incidents of civilian aircraft are 

summarized by month and type of aviation operations 

in Table 1.

Ninety incidents of laser illumination of aircraft were 

reported during the study period. Of these, 53 involved 

commercial aircraft, 9 general aviation, 4 law enforcement 

aircraft, and 24 reports did not identify type of aircraft 

operation. Eighty-six (96%) of all the laser events were 

reported in the last 3 months of the study.

The laser illumination incidents of civilian aircraft are 

summarized in Table 2 by the color of laser and the type 

of visual effects experienced by flight crewmembers.

Lasers illuminated the aircraft cockpit in 41 (46%) 

of the incidents, but only 13 (32%) of these resulted 

in visual impairment or distraction of the pilot, which 

includes 1 incident that reportedly resulted in an eye 

injury. Of the 90 incidents reviewed for the study period, 

green laser light was reported in 62 (69%) incidents. Of 

the 13 incidents that resulted in visual impairment or 

distraction, 11 (85%) involved green lasers. 

Incidents of illumination that resulted in visual impairment or distraction are summarized below:

May 14, 2004

At 9:30 PM PST, a general aviation aircraft was descending for approach from 9,000 feet to 7,000 feet 

above mean sea level (MSL) near Carlsbad Airport, 

CA, when the pilot was hit with a green laser light. 

There was an apparent deliberate intent to track the 

aircraft for 10 miles to the 2-mile final approach to 

Runway 25. The pilot reported distraction but no 

visual impairment.

September 21, 2004

At 8:25 PM CST, an American Airlines aircraft (AAL 

576) was on a 4-mile final to Chicago (IL) O’Hare 

International Airport at an altitude of 2,400 feet when 

the pilot experienced a laser light illumination of the 

cockpit. The pilot reported only distraction but no 

visual impairment. 

September 22, 2004

At 9:30 PM MST, a Delta Airlines B-737 aircraft 

(DAL 1025) was on final approach to Runway 35 

at Salt Lake City (UT) International Airport at approximately 1,300 above ground level (AGL; 5,500 ft 

MSL), when a green laser light hit the Flight Deck. The 

First Officer (FO) was flying the aircraft at the time 

of the incident. Both Captain and FO saw the bright 

green light coming from the ground at the one to two 

o’clock position for a period of about 5 seconds. The 

Captain recognized the light as a laser and turned his 

eyes away while the FO did not. The FO landed the 

aircraft safely, but reported some loss of depth perception, causing him to flare too high. After the flight, the 

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Table 2. Laser Incident Report Summary 

Laser Reported Visual Effects 

Event 

No. Color Momentary 

Distraction 

Temporary 

Impairment Glare Afterimage Flashblinded Injury 

1 Green X 

2 Unknown X X 

3 Green X X 

4 Green X X X X X Retinal 

Burn 

5 Green X 

6 Green X* X 

7 Green X X‡ X 

8 Green X X‡

9 Green X X X 

10 Green X* X X 

11 Green X* X 

12 Green X X X X 

13 Red X X X 

* Annoyance 

‡

 Loss of Visual Acuity
5

FO noticed blurring in his eyes. The next day his vision 

was more blurred. An ophthalmologist’s examination 

found retinal edema. The FO was unable to fly for 

about 3 weeks and remained sensitive to bright lights 

for some time.

December 25, 2004

A Sky West Airlines aircraft (SKW 6166) was illuminated by a laser light approximately 8 miles from Rogue 

Valley International Airport, Medford, OR. The light 

initially started as a pulsating white light and changed 

to a steady green light. The pilot in command (PIC) 

reported some eye discomfort but was able to land the 

plane safely.

December 29, 2004

At 5:35 PM EST a Cessna Citation, flying at approximately 2,500 AGL, was illuminated with a green 

laser near Rockaway, NJ, causing a temporary loss of 

vision for both the pilot and co-pilot, but they were 

able to safely land the plane. Two days later, one of the 

Cessna pilots joined federal agents in a police helicopter 

that was investigating the incident. The cockpit of the 

helicopter was illuminated with a laser light while flying in the vicinity of the previous illumination. The 

authorities were able to identify the location of the laser 

light, and an individual was arrested for both incidents. 

The suspect later plead guilty in court to interfering 

with the pilots of a passenger aircraft.

December 30, 2004

At 5:35 PM EST, a Northwest Airlink/Pinnacle 

Airlines aircraft was on final to Runway 4 at the 

Cleveland-Hopkins (OH) International Airport at 

an altitude of about 4,000 feet when a green laser hit 

the aircraft and tracked it for about 3-4 seconds. The 

pilot reported annoyance from the light, but no visual 

impairment. 

December 31, 2004

The pilot of a general aviation aircraft departing from 

Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, OK, reported 

that he was hit in the face by a green laser three times. 

Although the light temporarily blinded him, he was 

able to continue the flight.

December 31, 2004

An Anne Arundel County, MD, police helicopter was 

“lazed by a high-intensity green laser” that interfered 

with cockpit visibility. The pilots determined that the 

laser came from a group of people standing near the 

scene of an accident. A 38-year old man was arrested 

and charged with reckless endangerment.

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December 31, 2004

At 7:26 PM PST, an American Airlines B-757 aircraft 

(AAL 2083) was illuminated by a green laser light while 

at an altitude of 4,000 feet on final approach to Runway 

25L at Los Angles (CA) International Airport. The laser 

light tracked the aircraft for about 3 miles, and the FO 

reported vision problems similar to a camera flash and 

mild distraction.

January 8, 2005

At 10:52 PM EST, an America West Airlines aircraft 

(AWE 744) was illuminated by a green laser light while 

at 8,000 feet on approach to Washington Dulles International Airport (VA). The cockpit was illuminated 

for about 5 seconds, after which the pilot experienced 

annoyance and a very short afterimage.

January 25, 2005

At 7:30 PM PST, a Delta Airlines aircraft (DAL 446) 

was on approach to Runway 27 at the San Diego (CA) 

International Airport, when a green laser light flashed 

the pilots about 4 times. The pilot reported annoyance, 

but no visual impairment.

January 28, 2005

At 7:48 PM PST, a United Postal Services aircraft 

(UPS 905) was illuminated by a green laser light while 

enroute at 15,000 feet MSL after departing from John 

Wayne Airport, San Ana, CA. The exposure lasted 1-2 

seconds, and the pilot reported experiencing glare and 

afterimages lasting 1-2 minutes.

January 29, 2005

At 6:59 PM EST, a Mesaba Airlines aircraft (MES 

3253) was illuminated by a red laser light while at 

an altitude of 2,100 feet on 5-mile final approach to 

Runway 21L at the Detroit (MI) Metropolitan Wayne 

County Airport. The pilot reported slight flashblindness 

and annoyance from the 2-3 second exposure.

DISCUSSION

Prior to 1995, the FAA did not object to laser demonstrations directed into the navigable airspace as along 

as these beams did not exceed the applicable Maximum 

Permissible Exposure (MPE) level beyond which biological damage may occur (7). In 1995, the FAA adopted “Recommended Interim Guidelines” for lasers in 

navigable airspace that was developed by the Society of 

Automotive Engineers’ Laser Safety Hazards Subcommittee. The guidelines were subsequently incorporated into 

FAA Order 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace 

Matters, Chapter 29, Outdoor Laser Operations (8), 

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6

establishing lower laser exposure limits for protecting 

flight crewmembers from adverse visual effects in specific 

zones of airspace over and around airports. Laser illumination reports collated by CAMI’s Vision Research Team 

indicate there was a substantial decrease in the number 

of inadvertent illuminations by demonstration lasers in 

the years following this action. Unfortunately, during the 

study period there was a marked increase in reported laser 

incidents. These incidents, according to our study, were 

not from outdoor laser shows. The majority appears to 

be random acts by individuals using portable, hand-held 

laser devices. In response to the rapid increase in laser 

incidents, on January 12, 2005, the Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Norman Mineta, held a press conference 

at the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute in Oklahoma City to announce the publication of an Advisory 

Circular, entitled “Reporting of Laser Illumination of 

Aircraft” (AC No: 70-2) (9). The document provides 

information on aircrew mitigation procedures and how 

to report laser illumination incidents. It is an initial step 

in improving coordination with local and federal law 

enforcement agencies in apprehending and prosecuting 

violators. In December 2005, the House and Senate voted 

to amend Chapter 2, Title 18 of the United States Code 

by approving a bill (H.R. 1400), which would impose 

fines and/or imprisonment for violators that shine a laser 

pointer or similar device at an aircraft. (10). The bill 

does make exceptions for research conducted by aircraft 

manufacturers, the FAA, the Department of Defense, or 

an emergency distress signal.

The data collected as a result of Advisory Circular 70-2 

can provide information that may be used to measure the 

effectiveness of current policies and procedures used to 

protect pilots from hazardous exposure to laser lights in 

navigable airspace and help to identify new laser sources 

and their availability. These reports can be used to document the frequency and severity of such events and help 

determine whether a pattern of criminal and/or malicious 

behavior exists. Comprehensive reporting is expected to 

result in better communication between the FAA and 

the aviation personnel who first learn of or experience 

a laser incident. Timely reporting should also provide 

local and federal authorities with a better opportunity 

to investigate and apprehend perpetrators.

There were 90 incidents reported during the 13-

month study period, with the majority occurring during 

December 2004 (n = 27) and January 2005 (n = 46). Of 

the 90 incidents, 41 (46%) illuminated the cockpit and, 

of these, only 13 (14%) resulted in visual impairment 

or distraction to pilots, suggesting that the perpetrators 

did not intend to illuminate the flight crew or that targeting an aircraft’s windscreen with these devices over 

such distances is not an easy task. Interestingly, review 

of the reported laser incidents prior to 2004 indicates 

the majority of exposures involved the use of red lasers. 

However, during the 13 months reviewed in this study, 

when the color of the beam was identified, only 7 of the 

90 incidents involved red laser light, while the majority 

(62) reported the use of green lasers. This is likely because, 

until recently, commercially available green laser devices 

that the average person could readily afford were difficult, 

if not impossible, to find. At the present time, relatively 

affordable green laser pointers with output power up 

to 95 mW (Class 3B) and reported ranges of up to 45 

miles are available through several online retailers. The 

affordability and availability of these and similar laser 

devices are expected to increase in the future and may 

increase the likelihood of a serious laser-related incident 

or accident. Fortunately, to date, no aviation accident 

report has cited laser light illumination as a contributing 

factor. However, most of the incidents reviewed in this 

study have gone unprosecuted, with only 3 arrests being 

made during the 13-month period.

The human eye is inherently sensitive to certain wavelengths more than others (Figure 4). Most green laser 

pointers emit a 532-nm beam of light that is near the 

eye’s peak sensitivity, resulting in exceptional visibility and 

brilliance. The human eye perceives a 532-nm beam to 

be about 30 times brighter than an equivalently powered 

670-nm laser beam (11). Therefore, it is not surprising 

that, given their increased visibility and availability, green 

lasers were involved in 29 of the 41 incidents (71%) that 

resulted in actual cockpit illuminations.

Figure 4: The human eye’s relative sensitivity as a 

function of wavelengths
7

Recommendations for eliminating or reducing the problem of malicious laser illumination of aircraft include:

1. Educate the public regarding the risks of lasers 

to aviation safety, particularly near airports, and 

provide a means to report malicious behavior.

2. Restrict the sale or use of certain laser devices. 

This may include lasers produced by manufacturers that do not provide proof that their product 

can be classified as Class 3A or less.

3. Amend criminal statutes to strengthen law 

enforcement ability to prosecute those who 

interfere with flight operations. Currently, law 

enforcement may use Title 14 CFR §91.11 

(Prohibition on interference with crewmembers) 

to prosecute individuals that illuminate aircraft 

with lasers (12).

4. Perform human factors studies to investigate 

whether providing pilots with Laser Eye Protection (LEP) is a practical means to mitigate certain 

potential laser hazards. These studies should also 

address the effects of LEP on color vision, visual 

acuity, and operational performance.

5. Expand and enforce laser free zones around airports. For example, increase the laser free zone 

from 2,000 feet AGL to 4,000 feet AGL.

One issue frequently raised is whether or not pilots 

should wear some form of LEP to protect their vision from 

the effects of laser exposure during landing and departure 

maneuvers. LEP currently used by the military incorporates cutting-edge technologies (principally advanced dyes 

and dielectric coatings) to provide protection from lasers 

at a variety of wavelengths in the infrared and visible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (13). Such devices 

do not protect against all wavelengths. Recent advances 

in holography and other interference optical technologies 

have provided a closer balance between eye protection 

and visibility, but much more remains to be done. The 

aviation and medical industries are developing the tools, 

methods, and guidance for assessing this reflective LEP. 

Unfortunately, at present, regardless of the type of LEP 

used, problems persist with regard to the integration of 

these devices into civil aviation environment. LEP may 

mask colors used in aviation charts and maps and can be 

incompatible when used in combination with equipment, 

such as oxygen masks, communication headsets, and 

sophisticated avionics (heads-up displays, glass cockpit 

displays, and night vision goggles). Additionally, current 

methods of providing LEP with vision correction, while 

usable, can exacerbate the equipment integration problems. For these reasons it is questionable if pilots would 

actually wear LEP if it were provided. Any LEP device 

should provide high luminance transmission (>70%) over 

the visible spectrum while delivering protection of an 

appropriate optical density for the specific wavelength(s) 

of concern to minimize any adverse effect on color vision. Finally, in terms of optical quality, negative factors 

associated with LEP (haze, distortion, aberration, prism, 

and artifacts) must be eliminated or minimized so as to 

not degrade visual performance with technology meant 

to protect vision.

Other efforts to develop technologies to mitigate the 

effects of laser illumination that may have applications 

for civil aviation are ongoing. One possible solution is 

a Laser Event Recorder (LER) such as the LER made 

by OPTRA (13). The LER is a device that mounts to 

the aircraft than can detect laser illumination (both 

visible and invisible), photograph the source, measure 

the intensity and bandwidth, and warn the pilot of the 

relative threat level (13). Another (less expensive) effort 

to mitigate the hazardous effect of laser illumination is a 

U.S. Air Force research project to train pilots in utilizing 

countermeasures that can minimize the adverse effects of 

laser illumination (13). 

The development of effective countermeasures is important, given that several foreign countries have produced 

military-grade laser blinding systems that are designed 

to blind optics, such as night vision goggles and the human eye (14). For example, the Chinese introduced the 

ZM-87 at defense exhibitions in March 1995, but there 

is no indication that these systems have been obtained 

by terrorist groups or are currently available on the black 

market. The Japanese terrorist cult Aum Shinrikyo (14), 

which is primarily known for its 1995 gas attack on the 

Tokyo subway, also experimented with the use of lasers 

as weapons. Japanese press reports indicated that the cult 

obtained laser design information from Russian institutes 

they visited and built a laser weapon mounted on a truck. 

They had planned to use the laser against Tokyo policemen, but the plan failed when the laser malfunctioned 

during testing (14).

A recent memo, sent by the FBI and the Department 

of Homeland Security in December 2004, stated there 

was evidence that terrorists have explored using lasers as 

weapons (15). Our study found no evidence that any 

military-grade laser system was utilized in the laser illumination incidents in this report or any other incidents 

reviewed over the past decade. However, international 

concerns over the possibility of laser-induced eye injuries 

resulted in the 1998 Vienna Protocol, which called for 

a ban on the use of lasers in conventional weapons for 

blinding individuals (16). 

In conclusion, this study suggests that the recent spike 

in reported laser exposure incidents of civilian aircraft 

is most likely the result of the increased availability of 
8

relatively high-powered, hand-held laser devices. Fortunately, these incidents appear to be the careless acts of 

thoughtless individuals, rather than purposeful acts of 

terrorism. Only 14.4% (13/90) of the reported incidents 

resulted in distraction or some type of visual impairment, and only one incident resulted in ocular injury. 

None of these incidents were determined to be deliberate attempts to debilitate civilian pilots. Even so, these 

incidents do pose a serious threat to aviation safety and 

should be reported immediately to the proper authorities, 

as directed by Advisory Circular No. 70-2. The Advisory 

Circular also includes a “Suspected Laser Beam Exposure 

Questionnaire” to be filled out by the exposed pilot(s) 

to provide additional data to better identify the nature 

of the threat and its affect on civil aviation operations. 

Aviators should educate themselves on the effects of laser 

illumination and try to avoid direct exposure and seek 

the immediate attention of an eyecare professional in 

the event a laser exposure is suspected. Aviation Medical Examiners and eyecare practitioners should also be 

familiar with the physiological effects of laser radiation 

on ocular tissues, the treatment options, and potential 

for visual performance loss. Finally, improved reporting 

is necessary to monitor the scope of this problem, and 

continuing research may assist in the development of 

new methods and technologies to reduce the possibility 

of laser exposures or mitigate their effects. 

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12. Code of Federal Regulations. Title 14, Part 91.11. 

Jan 1, 2005.

13. Elias B. Lasers aimed at aircraft cockpits: Background and possible options to address the threat to 

aviation safety and security. CRS Report for Congress. Order Code RS 22033. Jan 26, 2005. At URL: 

www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RS22033.pdf (11/28/2005)

14. Editor. FBI warns pilots to look away from unexpected light. At URL: www.asianpacificpost.com/

apnews/news/article;jsessionid=607E76EABC0AD

E859A086BABEDCDCC03?id=287&print=true

(4/23/2005) (11/28/2005)

15. DHS and FBI Information Bulletin. Potential laser 

threat. 11/22/2004.

16. Vienna Convention on Prohibitions and Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons 

Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious 

or to Have Indiscriminate Effects. Protocol IV. 

1998.