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14 Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime that can net offenders up to five years in jail or cost them a $250,000 fine. Even with this heavy potential penalty, laser strikes have become increasingly more common. According to the FAA, 6,852 such incidents were reported in 2020, compared with 385 in 2006, and so far this year, incidents of “joy lasing” are up 20 percent over last year. Cheap and easily obtained, hand-held lasers used as pointers and cat toys are certainly harmless when used as intended. But when they are aimed at the cockpit of an aircraft, they can temporarily blind the pilot with possibly deadly consequences. ....
By Mary Pacinda, Air Force Research Laboratory / Published May 03, 2021
Flight Officer Camron Iverson of the Washington State Patrol tested laser protection lenses formulated at AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. (Courtesy photo)
When a laser beam strikes a windshield, it often diffuses, making the windshield temporarily opaque. (Courtesy photo) ); $slider .carouFredSel({ auto: false, responsive: true, swipe: { onTouch: true, onMouse: false }, prev: $wrap.find( .pager-left ), next: $wrap.find( .pager-right ), scroll: { fx: crossfade , items: 1, onBefore: function (data) { $(data.items.old[0]).removeClass( current ); }, onAfter ....