A peak pilot association has warned of the serious consequences of pointing beams at aircraft after a laser was fired at a Virgin flight attempting to land at Canberra Airport.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A Canberra Airport spokeswoman said the Sydney-Canberra flight was landing at about 9.30pm last Wednesday when the pilot reported an interference caused by a laser beam about 13 kilometres south of the capital.
She said no one was injured and the incident did not cause any technical issues.
Airservices Australia confirmed air traffic controllers alerted police to the laser attack, which is believed to have stemmed from around Lake Jerrabomberra.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has reported eight laser-related occurrences in or near Canberra and 690 in Australia this year.
Most reports in the Canberra region were of planes flying low over the Googong and Jerrabomberra area, though they are only indicative and do not consider reports made directly to police.
"We do remind people that aircraft laser strikes can have serious safety consequences to flight crew and passengers and should be immediately reported to the police," an ATSB spokesperson said.
Safety and technical officer at the Australian Federation of Air Pilots Captain Marcus Diamond echoed this call.
"Light from laser beams can actually disperse in the cockpit and interfere with navigation of an aircraft, which carries severe penalties," Captain Diamond said.
"This is especially important this time of year when some people have Christmas laser lights, and even the laser toys that kids get as Christmas presents can reach the cockpit if they point it in the sky at nighttime."
While Captain Diamond was not aware of any aircraft crashes resulting from laser attacks Australia, he said there had been incidents where pilots were left seriously injured.
In one of the more serious examples, the Guardian reported a British Airways pilot suffered severe damage to his eyesight after a "military-strength" laser was shone into the cockpit of his plane in the UK in 2015.
A Civil Aviation Safety Authority report revealed lasers would produce a beam of light of such intensity that the eye's retina could be permanently damaged instantly, even at distances of more than 10 kilometres.
It found at lower intensities, laser beams could still seriously affect vision.
Queanbeyan Police Acting Inspector Ben Bowles urged people in the Queanbeyan area to be wary that the end of year holidays were a busy period for airlines and reminded them of the harsh penalties of interfering with an aircraft.
Those charged with laser infringements could face a fine of up to $30,000 or two years in jail.
Meanwhile an ACT Police spokesman asked anyone with information about people "dangerously and recklessly" shining lasers at planes to contact Crime Stoppers.
Any person or organisation that indents to conducts a laser or high-intensity light show must apply through CASA.
