Flying instructor was forced to make an emergency landing after being blinded by a laser shortly after take-off

A light aircraft pilot was forced to make an emergency landing after being blinded by a laser shortly after take-off.

Police are investigating the incident - classed as 'endangering an aircraft' - which took place at 6.30pm on Tuesday.

The instructor, who was flying a four-seat, single-engine Cessna 172 with Cambridge Aero Club near St Neots, was not injured.

The laser attack comes just days after a Virgin Atlantic flight heading to New York was forced to turn back to London Heathrow Airport after a laser beam was shone into the cockpit, dazzling its co-pilot during take-off.

The instructor, who was flying a four-seat, single-engine Cessna 172 (like the one pictured) with Cambridge Aero Club near St Neots, was not injured 

The instructor, who was flying a four-seat, single-engine Cessna 172 (like the one pictured) with Cambridge Aero Club near St Neots, was not injured 

The British Airline Pilots Association, the body that represents airline pilots in the UK, has called for handheld laser pointers to be classed as offensive weapons.

A spokesman for Cambridge Aero Club said: 'We can confirm one of our instructors was involved in an incident west of Cambridge this week.

'We are filing a report through all the appropriate channels with the Civil Aviation Authority and the police are aware.

'This is something that's an ongoing issue.'

'It's just very concerning this kind of thing happens,' she added.

The spokesman said the man was 'absolutely fine' but the club has not commented on whether there was a pupil in the plane at the time.

It is a criminal offence to shine a laser at an aircraft in flight with the intention of dazzling the pilot, carrying a maximum fine of £2,500.

Police and prosecutors can also apply the more serious offence of endangering the safety of an aircraft, which can lead to up to five years in prison.

An instructor, who flies with Mid Anglia School Of Flying in Cambridge, said: 'We do worry because it momentarily takes away all of your vision and it's rather dangerous.

'If you're the only person in the aircraft for a moment you're blinded.

A spokesman for Cambridge Aero Club, based at Cambridge Airport (file picture), said it would be filing a report with the Civil Aviation Authority into the matter

A spokesman for Cambridge Aero Club, based at Cambridge Airport (file picture), said it would be filing a report with the Civil Aviation Authority into the matter

'If you're experienced you know how to keep the aircraft upright but if you're a person who's just been licensed or someone who doesn't fly very often, it could be rather upsetting.'

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: 'Shining a laser at an aircraft in flight could pose a serious safety risk and is also a specific criminal offence.'

'We strongly urge anyone who sees a laser being used in the vicinity of an airport to contact the police immediately.'

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: 'We are investigating and a crime has been raised for endangering an aircraft. No arrests have been made at this stage.' 

About Unknown

Unknown
"Mình là Phương Nguyễn, thâm niên 4 năm kinh nghiệm thiết kế website và làm marketing, tuy nhiên kể từ 1 năm trở lại đây mình không còn làm marketing nữa, và chỉ tập trung vào viết plugin và giao diện cho Wordpress, nếu các bạn thấy bài viết hay thì hãy chia sẻ cho những người khác cùng tham khảo, còn nếu muốn thiết kế website hoặc sửa web hay đặt một plugin có chức năng đặc biệt, hãy liên hệ ngay tới Phương"
Recommended Posts × +

0 nhận xét:

Đăng nhận xét