View Single Post
Old 02-04-2019, 10:02 AM
  #1  
Av8tr1
Gets Weekends Off
 
Av8tr1's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2014
Position: And hold
Posts: 311
Default 2 Laser Events in PHX

Twice now I have flow into PHX and had a laser event. 1st was in Nov and did enough eye damage that I was grounded for a few weeks. Starting a left turn to final for 25L the flight deck was illuminated with a bright green light. This wasn't a laser pointer that you buy at Walmart. This was a high powered laser likely from Ebay or China. Damaged my retina which thankfully cleared up a few weeks later. When I landed Airport Ops met me at the airplane and said these happen so often the cops likely would not come out to even take a report. So I didn't file one not knowing at the time I was going to be out of work for a few weeks due to the injury. I did however file a laser report with the FAA and they never contacted me about it.

Last week flying into PHX again I had another eye injury at about the same place (this is likely the same idiot). I was in the turn for final 25L when at about the same place as the previous incident the flight deck was illuminated by a bright green light. Unfortunately I instinctively looked at the source of the light and it got me right in the eye again. Had the expected spot in my view but landed the plane without incident. This time I demanded over the radio that law enforcement meet me on the ramp, Ops was waiting for me when I taxied in. Report was taken and we narrowed down the location to a roughly mile wide area which was outside the jurisdiction of PHX police. The officer promised to forward the report to the dept who had jurisdiction but likely nothing would be done to investigate this specific incident.

My company is pretty useless about this stuff. No procedures for these sorts of events. I have heard other stories that company pilots were escorted to the hospital when it happened to them. I was left to figure out things on my own (twice now). Spent 7 hours in the ER (after a full 15 hour duty day) waiting for a opthamologist who never showed up and was referred for an appointment 3 days later. Very likely there is nothing wrong but I am grounded again until I am cleared by a doctor.

Both of these events happened in roughly the same place leading me to think its the same person, i'm just unlucky enough to get caught twice. But without something specific happening I doubt anything will be done to catch the laser idiot.

I'd like to recommend a process to my company and would like to know what other airlines do when these sorts of events happen.

Do you have a published procedure? Or checklist to follow in the event of a laser event?

Next time I am considering declaring an emergency and orbit over the piece of craps house until I can direct the police to the location. Short of that I doubt anything will be done to catch the forker.
Av8tr1 is offline