I can not begin to comprehend the stupidity.

[TheAnimus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8454318.stm

The number of incidents of people shining lasers at planes has increased more than twenty-five fold over the last two years.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that there were 29 incidents in 2007, which had increased to 737 by 2009.

.

What on earth are they doing, its rather unlikely they will actually manage to divert a plane, I'm assuming the plymouth one was just some tiny turboprop, and the only one out of the 700+ incidents. So basically they will shine it and nothing will happen..... Great sounds like fun.

The other thing is, given that over twice as many people live in London as Manchester, not to mention Heathrow has far more flights, how come there are more incidents of blinding in Manchester airport than Heathrow?

Also is there something about whippets, un-employment, pie consumption and a lack of ability to speak clearly that makes one wish to bring down an airliner? If so then surely the anti-terror lot should be investigating right away.

[Clunk]

I'm not sure if you are aware, but all Whippets manufactured after November 2007 are t'laser guided.

[Clunk]

[MadduckUK]

how come there are more incidents of blinding in Manchester airport than Heathrow?

Heathrow is London, so they try and stab the planes

[abaxas]

People from the south are too busy fscking up the economy in their 'city' offices to bother.

[shaithis]

What on earth are they doing, its rather unlikely they will actually manage to divert a plane, I'm assuming the plymouth one was just some tiny turboprop, and the only one out of the 700+ incidents. So basically they will shine it and nothing will happen..... Great sounds like fun.

Also is there something about whippets, un-employment, pie consumption and a lack of ability to speak clearly that makes one wish to bring down an airliner? If so then surely the anti-terror lot should be investigating right away.

You get a fair amount of international flights from Plymouth airport now, so it may have been something bigger, although definitely not a 747 or similar Plymouth airport is situated in an area renown for the more wealthy working class of the area, with plenty of kids hanging around with money in their pockets and not a lot to do......I am sure they don't have any ill intent, it just sounds like fun (thanks to journalists letting everyone know!) and it gets done without thought. Typical youth, they do things without thinking of the consequences.....

The other thing is, given that over twice as many people live in London as Manchester, not to mention Heathrow has far more flights, how come there are more incidents of blinding in Manchester airport than Heathrow?

The sample size is way too small to draw any statistical analysis from.

[Stoo]

Get them into the Army sniper school if they can hit a pilot's eye in a moving target at 300+ mph..

[Ruggerbugger]

I'm guessing the beam spreads

[[GSV]Trig]

Problem with stuff like this it was on CSI so people try it, then its on the news so more people try it..

[Tumble]

The problem is not the beam hitting the pilot's mince pie directly - it reflects off all the shiny surfaces withing the cockpit - I've seen it happen from the cockpit on the telly, and it can be quite disorienting by the looks of things...

[Kata]

It can wreck your night vision, which takes up to 30 minutes to build up again, and make it difficult to see outside, or see your instruments. Bloody dangerous, and if someone did it to me, I'd happily have their balls off. Glad to see the CAA will be prosecuting fiercely, not often I approve of something that they do

[handscombmp]

It can wreck your night vision, which takes up to 30 minutes to build up again, and make it difficult to see outside, or see your instruments. Bloody dangerous, and if someone did it to me, I'd happily have their balls off. Glad to see the CAA will be prosecuting fiercely, not often I approve of something that they do

Couldn't have put it better myself.
It's a stupid thing with no thought to peoples safety.

I'd alos be interested to see what TeePee has to say