Even a split second of that bright flash is enough to make you lose your night vision and leave dancing squiggles all over your retina. Ever had someone's camera flash go off in a dark room? Now imagine that disorientation and loss of vision when you are in charge of several hundred tonnes of metal, plastic and glass containing 200+ souls hurtling towards ground contact.
At that point of the flight, the pilot's eyes are constantly jumping from a methodical scan of internal instruments to the runway and back. Anything that distracts or jeopardises that process can snowball into a big problem.
In many ways, the short term effects of a laser pointer pose a far more serious threat to safety.
At that point of the flight, the pilot's eyes are constantly jumping from a methodical scan of internal instruments to the runway and back. Anything that distracts or jeopardises that process can snowball into a big problem.
In many ways, the short term effects of a laser pointer pose a far more serious threat to safety.