The Federal Aviation Administration warns you: don’t point lasers at the sky.
Amid the ongoing drone situation in the North East, the regulator reports that there has been a huge spike in the number of laser pointings reported by pilots in recent weeks.
“Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety hazard and a violation of federal law,” the FAA said in a statement.
According to the agency, laser pointers can distract or temporarily blind airline pilots, which could endanger the lives of hundreds of passengers and bystanders on the ground.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime, and a conviction can lead to civil and criminal penalties and up to five years in prison.
FAA data shows that at least 15 laser attacks have resulted in injuries so far this year, although the agency did not specify the type or extent of those injuries.
Laser attacks are particularly dangerous when an aircraft is close to the ground for takeoff and landing, which are the most critical phases of flight. With three major airports in the New York metropolitan area, pointing a laser at the sky is an especially dangerous place.
“Laser attacks pose a serious threat to the health of flight crews and the safety of their flight. The effect of a laser strike can cause temporary or permanent blindness in pilots, disrupting our ability to safely fly the aircraft, endangering our passengers and potentially ending our careers,” said Captain Jason Ambrosi, Air Line President Pilots Association. a union that represents pilots at many major airlines told USA TODAY in a statement: “Intentionally pointing a laser at an aircraft is not a joke, it is a federal crime with lasting consequences.”
The FAA on Thursday imposed temporary restrictions on flying drones in certain sectors of New Jersey airspace.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwicher@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FAA warns laser pointers pose major risk to aircraft
