Another laser incident. . .

[Phil Perry]

A Ryanair B737 was targeted recently by a green laser pen, which ( it is alleged ) dazzled the first officer whilst flying the leg, engaging in a descent from 6,000 feet into Birmingham ( EGBB ) intl airport. The crew gave a fairly accurate position report as to the ground coordinates of the laser, which was followed up by a police helicopter, in conjunction with some ground police units.

 

It was alleged that the laser light had been trained on the aircraft cockpit area for several minutes as they passed nearby the Norton Canes fishing pools near Cannock, Staffordshire. This is on almost a direct line to rwy 15 at Birmingham Intl.

 

A number of night fishermen were interviewed and following several denials, one of them admitted that he had used the laser pen to "scare off birds" he was given a suspended jail sentence of 2 years and fined several hundred pounds. The fisherman was aparently amazed that a "laser pen", powered by a single AA cell, and which cost just £3.00 for 5 units, could bother an airliner. . . . . . .

 

 

[dutchroll]

I got lasered on final approach into Sydney 34L one night in a B767 a couple of years ago. They got me right in the eyes, at about 700'AGL. Couldn't see anything much for several seconds while my eyes adjusted back to the relative darkness out the front. Other guy was flying and after I blurted out "for **** sake I've just copped a green laser right in the eyes" he said "you OK to continue?" while he quickly considered the pros and cons of a go-around. By that stage my eyes were recovering and I responded that yeah I should be OK and we landed normally. Needless to say I wasn't particularly happy about it. They sent police to the general vicinity but never found the perpetrators.

 

 

[Soleair]

I got shot once when flying around Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight, UK, in the early 80's.

 

My microlight had tip draggers with spruce internals and thin ply skin. One of these skins had a hole in it after landing, clearly made either by a shotgun pellet or an air rifle slug.

 

At the time there were a group of protesters who mainly lived in a block of houses bordering the airport. They used to make a lot of noise in the local press about airport noise, etc. One person was prosecuted for using a mirror to dazzle approaching pilots.

 

One wonders why people who so dislike light aeroplanes would buy a house next to an active grass airfield??

 

Bruce

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

While working on one of Schofields Trainers I found a hole in the rear underside and it had a grey smear around it. Turned out to be lead. Police investigated and found the market gardener at the end of the runway was taking pot shots with a .22. Jailed he was.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I got shot once when flying around Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight, UK, in the early 80's.My microlight had tip draggers with spruce internals and thin ply skin. One of these skins had a hole in it after landing, clearly made either by a shotgun pellet or an air rifle slug.

 

At the time there were a group of protesters who mainly lived in a block of houses bordering the airport. They used to make a lot of noise in the local press about airport noise, etc. One person was prosecuted for using a mirror to dazzle approaching pilots.

 

One wonders why people who so dislike light aeroplanes would buy a house next to an active grass airfield??

 

Bruce

A friend of mine ( non - pilot ) was considering buying a new - build home on the extended centreline of Rwy 16 at my local airfield, and after he made a comment about the site being a bit close to the airfield, he was informed by the building contractor that they would "Have that place closed down" . . . . when the housing development was completed ! ! the field has existed since the start of WW2 . . . . needless to say we have NOT been closed, but have adapted our circuits voluntarily to produce a curving BASE/FINAL to allow the new residents some space. This seems to have worked, as we have not had a complaint in five years.

 

Other than two shotgun incidents over fifteen years ago, both of which originated from woodland beneath one of our downwind legs and fortunately did not result in any damage or injuries to crew. . . , we have been mercifully lucky as there are a number of local pheasant / partridge "Shoots" on sunday mornings around our site.

 

Phil