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"Idiots" are risking airline passengers' lives by shining laser lights at pilots coming into land at airports around the country.
Figures released by the Civil Aviation Authority to The Dominion Post show a more than 300 per cent increase in laser attacks in the past 18 months with Wellington airport the most dangerous in the country, aviation authorities have warned.
A 24-year-old man appeared in Wellington District Court yesterday with committing criminal nuisance by shining a green laser into the cockpit of a commercial aircraft knowing it would endanger life. He pleaded not guilty.
He allegedly pointed a green laser into the cockpit of a commercial jet with 49 passengers on March 4 as it came into land from Christchurch.
The CAA said Wellington was the most "popular" for attacks on planes, due to flight paths and the airport's proximity to houses.
They usually involve someone pointing a high-powered green laser into cockpits, sometimes from as far away as five kilometres.
The lasers, which are slightly larger than a ballpoint pen and emit a neon green beam, are used by tour guides and people giving presentations to point at objects from a distance.
CAA spokesman Bill Sommer told the newspaper pilots usually reported lasers coming from the Wellington suburbs of Newlands, Mt Victoria and Miramar.
"The distraction comes at a time where the pilot already has a very high workload, especially coming into Wellington airport. There's a concern for eye damage but more so for the distraction."
Pilots reported cockpits to be "bathed in green" during an attack, which could last for minutes at a time.
"The people who are doing it...are idiots. I don't know why they do it. Perhaps they are watching too many movies," Mr Sommer said.
Paul Lyons, Air Line Pilots' Association aviation security coordinator, said the attacks were most dangerous at night when pilots prepared for landing by turning down the cockpit lighting.
"The laser illuminates the whole deck. If a pilot is looking in the direction of the laser then they experience lost vision momentarily. If both pilots are looking in that direction, there is the potential loss of control of the whole aircraft."
Laser attacks had been a concern to airlines for almost 10 years, and attacks "seemed to be on the increase", said Mr Lyons, a former commercial pilot.
"There's probably two reasons why. Lasers are more readily available on the internet and, as technology changes, their capability increases."
A Marlborough Sounds man pleaded guilty this month to endangering public safety by aiming a laser beam at Interislander ferries in Tory Channel.
Bernard Westbrook Long was remanded until June 24.
- NZPA
