A crash is inevitable if people continue to point lasers at airplanes, a Prince Edward Island pilot warned Tuesday as the RCMP announced they were investigating the second such incident in as many days.ipopba/Getty Images/iStockphoto
A crash is inevitable if people continue to point lasers at airplanes, a Prince Edward Island pilot warned Tuesday as the RCMP announced they were investigating the second such incident in as many days.
John Brewer, who has been flying planes for 50 years and holds a commercial pilot's licence, said pointing a laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous.
"There's going to be a major accident … It's going to happen one of these days," Mr. Brewer said from his home in Cavendish, P.E.I.
"Just picture someone shining a spotlight in your face. You can't see for a few seconds. That's basically what happens, and if the pilot is hit in the eyes and the co-pilot doesn't get a chance to react, you're going to have a crash landing – there's no question about it."
The Mounties said they received a report from the Canadian Coast Guard on Saturday that a green laser was pointed at a search and rescue aircraft near Fernwood, roughly 60 kilometres west of Charlottetown.
Police said the laser, which can temporarily blind pilots, was pointed at the aircraft for roughly 15 to 20 minutes while it was conducting exercises.
The incident happened a day before a green laser was directed into the cockpit of a commercial aircraft as it approached the airport in Charlottetown.
Police said the WestJet passenger aircraft encountered the beam of light at around 11 p.m. Sunday as it flew over the Brackley Beach area.
The laser shone in the cockpit for about five to 10 seconds, and the pilot landed the plane without incident a few minutes later.
Mr. Brewer, who owns a business that repairs and maintains airplanes, said he believes not everyone is aware of the gravity of shining a laser at a plane.
"I think in some cases it's young people and they don't realize the consequences," said Mr. Brewer, who has never experienced a laser being pointed into his own aircraft.
"We need to find an arrest the person that did it, and make an example out of that person. Once that hits the news waves, I don't think you'll see much of that anymore."
According to Transport Canada, shining a laser at an aircraft is a serious federal offence and could carry fines of up to $100,000 and five years in prison – or both.
Last year, the department launched a social media campaign – #NotABrightIdea – to educate people about the dangers.
It says there were nearly 600 reported laser incidents in 2015.