Laser pointers will be banned in the Czech airports

Laser pointers will be banned in the Czech airports

Soon in the vicinity of the Czech airports should be placed special signs prohibiting the use of laser pointers. The corresponding amendment to the Law on Civil Aviation was recently adopted in first reading by the House of Representatives of the Czech Parliament. For this amendment voted 113 out of 128 deputies who were present at the meeting. Now, the amendment must be approved by the Senate, after which measures to enhance the security of civilian air traffic will be implemented.

The need to solve this problem appeared a long time ago as the pilots of civilian aircraft have repeatedly sent complaints that unknown offenders prevented takeoff and landing of aircrafts at the Ruzhyne international airport, using a laser pointer like a sniper rifle beam.

As we wrote in the "Laser ”attacks” on civil aircrafts" from 04.02.2010, the, during 2009 the Czech pilots reported about at least seven such incidents, which threaten the safety of the crew and passengers. Such cases were also recorded in the airports in the United States, Australia, Britain and Germany.

During the laser "attack" hooligans point the laser beam of sufficiently high intensity on the plane to distract the pilot. Apart from the fact that such a beam prevents the pilot to perform takeoff or landing, direct contact with it can cause serious damage to the retina of the eye.

Until now such people were impossible to be prosecuted under the current legislation of the Czech Republic, and representatives of associations of civil pilots, initiated by the national carrier CSA, raised the question about the necessary of changes in the law on air travel.

When an amendment is approved, violation of the ban on the use of laser pointers in airports and near its will be punished by a fine up to 5 million euros. Specialists of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Czech Republic will determine the physical parameters of the devices, which will be banned.

At this stage, around the airports are created special protection zones, where it is prohibited to use menacingly electrical appliances. Now the list of restrictions will be supplemented by new items.

Date: 11/11/2010