Popular TikTok pilot Sabrina Johnson (@sabrinaleej) recently shared a video detailing the difficulties that might arise from flashing a laser at an aircraft.
It’s not humorous, she said, if you believe firing a laser at an airliner is. “Let’s discuss why you can be jailed.”
Johnson said that when she was in the air as a flying instructor, someone shined a laser at her. She alerted LaGuardia Tower to the fact that something was being shone at them. The FBI then phoned her and informed her that they had located the source of the light within a 1.3-mile radius.
They’ll discover you, Johnson assured. They treat this matter seriously.
The Federal Aviation Administration asserts that it is illegal to direct a laser toward an airplane. It carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and a maximum sentence of five years in jail. Additionally, the FAA has the authority to levy civil fines of up to $11,000.
@cksears said, “This is why I just wave to planes.”
“People neglect the dual nature of lasers. The pilot is actually being told where you are, stated @ovrwrite.
Over 50,000 lasering occurrences have been reported to the FAA since 2016, with over 9,000 instances in 2021 and 2022 alone. This year, the FAA has recorded 925 occurrences as of March 31.
Johnson cited another instance in which police left right away after she informed authorities of her whereabouts, supporting her claim that the offenders might be located.
“You’re probably going to jail a lot longer than just a stupid fine if you actually blind a pilot with the laser, and you’re the reason people end up hurt because of that,” Johnson added.
Johnson outlined the significant financial and probable time costs associated with laser beaming.
Yahoo’s In The Know is now accessible on Apple News; keep up with us here!
The article Pilot: “This is why I just wave to planes” describes what occurs when a laser is pointed at an aircraft.
