The FAA is once again reminding people decorating for the holidays to be mindful of the risks outdoor laser light displays can pose for aviation. If poorly aimed, the popular displays have the potential to disrupt flights—and possibly injure pilots—passing overhead. According to the FAA, “Each holiday season for the past several years, [it] has received reports from pilots who said they were distracted or temporarily blinded by residential laser-light displays.”
As it has done in the past, the FAA has said that it will address any issues by first asking display owners to adjust or turn off their lasers. If the warnings aren’t enough, however, the administration can pursue civil penalties for violators. Pilots encountering difficulties with lasers are encouraged to report the issue to the FAA.
Learn more at the FAA.
