[Robotgroup] Man Arrested For Shining Laser On Commercial Airplanes

[Vern Graner]

A good reminder about how high powered lasers such as these:

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

are NOT toys! DON'T point a laser at a flying plane or helicopter!

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High Powered Laser Used On Commercial Airplanes
Daniel Novick-KFOX News Reporter

POSTED: 7:31 pm MDT August 15, 2007
UPDATED: 12:58 pm MDT August 16, 2007

EL PASO, Texas -- The FBI said they arrested a Clint man accused of 
shining a laser at commercial airplanes, and they said the type of laser 
he used could cause disorientation in the cockpit, including momentary 
blindness for the pilots.

"It is very strong, it can have a reach of over 1,000 miles, so it's 
incredibly strong," said Andrea Simmons with the FBI.

The FBI found a class-IIIB laser along with 47-year-old Clinton Udet 
Pinckert, at his Clint home. The FBI charged Pinckert for Tuesday 
night's incident, and believe he may be connected to three other flights 
reporting the same problem.

"One of them was landing at the time, the other three were actually 
between 34,000 and 38,000 feet when they saw the laser," said Simmons.

"It concerns me, that shouldn't be happening. How is that happening?" 
said David Yuan, traveling in El Paso from San Francisco, Calif.

Yuan and other travelers KFOX spoke to Wednesday said they feel safer 
now that the FBI found Pinckert.

"Good. They're doing, so they've stopped him, they've apprehended him, 
it sounds like a good thing," said Yuan.

"Such a small little light could be detected I guess from wherever, and 
if it was pointed at the plane I think it's great that they caught him," 
said Maria Molina, from west El Paso.

Molina, traveling with family, said she hopes others will learn from the 
arrest.

"I think it gives a warning to other people and I mean kids, they think 
it's a joke or something to play with, and it's not, it's serious," said 
Molina.

"The lives of hundreds of people on these four aircraft were potentially 
at risk, so we want to send a very strong message that it's not OK to be 
using this in this manner," said Simmons.

The FBI said for attempting to disable a commercial aircraft, Pinckert, 
if convicted, could face up to 20 years in prison. The FBI said it does 
not believe that Pinckert has any terrorist ties.
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Vern

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