We've all heard laser at airplane... What about airplane with laser?

Rebel Lord

Rebel Lord

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Rebel Lord
I'm seriously considering buying a highpower 7 watt laser. Mostly to point out things on the ground. I also think its a good signalling device in a off airport landing. Coolest thing is anyone from the ground can also see the beam from miles away so it could be used for S&R.

Thoughts?
 
How would that help with S&R? Seeing what you are looking for on the ground is the hard part about S&R.
 
jordane93 said:
I'd just laser people on the ground to get back at them.
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I can neither confirm nor deny that in my past life flying very slow moving aircraft, we may or may not have had a non-flying crewmember in the back do such a thing if we got hit.
 
There are proper SAR lasers that exist. A 7 watt beam style one is not a proper type. Check these out:
Green Rescue Laser Flare - Greatland Laser . They project in a fan pattern, for better probability of being seen on the ground from the air, and are much more eye-safe than a beam style (let alone a 1+ watt laser). A 7 watt laser can't even be used without eye protection (laser goggles/glasses) safely.
 
Mike I said:
There are proper SAR lasers that exist. A 7 watt beam style one is not a proper type. Check these out:
Green Rescue Laser Flare - Greatland Laser . They project in a fan pattern, for better probability of being seen on the ground from the air, and are much more eye-safe than a beam style (let alone a 1+ watt laser). A 7 watt laser can't even be used without eye protection (laser goggles/glasses) safely.
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I'd rather get the deathray
 
Rebel Lord said:
I'm seriously considering buying a highpower 7 watt laser. Mostly to point out things on the ground. I also think its a good signalling device in a off airport landing. Coolest thing is anyone from the ground can also see the beam from miles away so it could be used for S&R.

Thoughts?
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7 WATTS!? :eek:
 
7 watts? You realize that's a whole ton of power for a laser. There are videos of people using 7 watt lasers to burn through BRICKS. Sure you don't mean 7 mW? Can't imagine needing 7 watts to "point out things on the ground". Or using it safely within a cockpit, without burning through things like the fuselage. An inadvertent reflection could permanently blind you.
 
You realize you need specialized glasses that block the damaging wavelengths of laser light just to be in the same room as a 7 watt laser, right?
 
FWIW, I thought that aircraft plexi windows created laser refraction, causing the blinding cockpit illumination events. Would that not be a problem if the laser was shone from the inside outward?
 
BigBadLou said:
FWIW, I thought that aircraft plexi windows created laser refraction, causing the blinding cockpit illumination events. Would that not be a problem if the laser was shone from the inside outward?
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After it melted a hole through the plexiglass, that would not be a problem, no.
 
At 7 watts, it's a Class 4 unit and requires all sorts of safety and interlock systems, on top of the licensing and reporting requirements. Better think again about it.
 
Mike I said:
There are proper SAR lasers that exist. A 7 watt beam style one is not a proper type. Check these out:
Green Rescue Laser Flare - Greatland Laser . They project in a fan pattern, for better probability of being seen on the ground from the air, and are much more eye-safe than a beam style (let alone a 1+ watt laser). A 7 watt laser can't even be used without eye protection (laser goggles/glasses) safely.
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And they don't work worth a damn compared to a signal mirror, at least in daytime. At night, a decent flare (though most don't last very long) or bright strobe light.

I've gone looking for both. Signal mirrors are easy. They grab eyeballs even when you're looking elsewhere. Those laser signalling devices aren't.
 
MAKG1 said:
And they don't work worth a damn compared to a signal mirror, at least in daytime. At night, a decent flare (though most don't last very long) or bright strobe light.

I've gone looking for both. Signal mirrors are easy. They grab eyeballs even when you're looking elsewhere. Those laser signalling devices aren't.
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Signal mirror flashes truly are impressive.
 
Craig said:
At 7 watts, it's a Class 4 unit and requires all sorts of safety and interlock systems, on top of the licensing and reporting requirements. Better think again about it.
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That's only if they advertise it as a laser "pointer" I'm buying a device for "scientific" "experiments"
 
Of course the first question.....where are you flying that you think you'll need a single, narrow beam for rescue that a different device would be as or better good? I can think of many things I'd rather spend $1200 on.
 
Signaling is not the main reason I want it, just a perk. I saw someone light up a skyscraper 10 miles away and i knew at that moment I wanted one
 
Rebel Lord said:
Signaling is not the main reason I want it, just a perk. I saw someone light up a skyscraper 10 miles away and i knew at that moment I wanted one
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...and if someone in that skyscraper suffered eye damage, would that affect your reasoning? Wanting something just because someone else has one is not the best basis for a decision.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
...and if someone in that skyscraper suffered eye damage, would that affect your reasoning? Wanting something just because someone else has one is not the best basis for a decision.
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They keep turning down my requests for Plutonium in large quantities..
 
bobmrg said:
...and if someone in that skyscraper suffered eye damage, would that affect your reasoning? Wanting something just because someone else has one is not the best basis for a decision.

Bob Gardner
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What are they gunna do? Sue me?:cool::D

At that range the beam is very dispersed anyways
 
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I use a laser on the gun pod on my plane. It's cheaper than tracer rounds, and more accurate.
:p
 
Lachlan said:
That is the most unAmerican thing I've ever read! You must hate grandmothers and ponies, too!
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As Dr. Bruce would say, "Sigh."

Non-aviation thread detour: A Coast Guard rescue exercise on the Oregon Coast had to abort and return to port today because some idiot nailed them with a green laser. Lots of imbeciles with more money than sense infesting our country..

Bob
 
Rebel Lord said:
That's only if they advertise it as a laser "pointer" I'm buying a device for "scientific" "experiments"
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Better look at the regs again. Maximum power level allowed to be called a pointer is under 5 mW and depending on the frequency emitted, it's in Class 3b. 7 watts is Class 4 no matter how you use it.
 
Oh, let the OP be. Let him have his toys. He won't be bothering anyone shortly after using the laser (LEOs will find him), or else he'll damage himself or something/someone else enough that he'll stop playing with it.

Consider it karma. Or evolution in action.
 
Craig said:
Better look at the regs again. Maximum power level allowed to be called a pointer is under 5 mW and depending on the frequency emitted, it's in Class 3b. 7 watts is Class 4 no matter how you use it.
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You can still buy Class 4 lasers, like I said im not ordering a laser 'Pointer'.. There are no restrictions on purchasing if its not advertised as a Laser pointer
 
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I have one on my sailboat, one of the long range deals you buy in Asia on the street for two bucks. It's there for signalling in an emergency.

And yes, handheld and parachute flares, smoke, extra radio, all that too.
 
I think the OP should do it. Buy that big laser and light up targets all over the place. Later, maybe a few years from now, he can tell us how his cellmate aimed his own big pointer where the sun don't shine, really lit up his life, and how he should have listened to us.
 
I don't usually chime in on threads that appear to be trolls, but this is such a stupid idea with enough probability that it might actually be the OP's intent.

This is a stupid and dangerous idea. Class 4 lasers are no joke. Any lasers in the cockpit that haven't been engineered to be there is stupid enough, but 6.5W? Oddly enough, I'm hoping this is a troll post, because that is much preferable to this actually happening.

So, let's get this straight...introduce a hand-held laser that weighs over a pound into a small airplane cockpit. Not just any hand-held laser, but one where viewing the projected spot alone is enough to cause eye damage without protection. One where the eyepro does not protect you against direct exposure. A laser you built yourself because shipping the completed laser is illegal. Are you going to use it by yourself? Fly the airplane and control this beast at the same time? Or have someone else take a stupid risk and have four or more eyes that now have to be accounted for? Are you going to shine it through the plexi, damaging the plexi and introducing eye-melting dazzle into the cockpit? Or going to open a window and try to control a one pound metal stick in hurricane force winds?

I would talk about the risk you're introducing to everyone outside the plane, but you clearly only think about yourself, so I won't bother.
 
bobmrg said:
Wanting something just because someone else has one is not the best basis for a decision.

Bob Gardner
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Isn't this the very basic principle powering the economy nearly everywhere nowadays?
(no, I am not condoning it, merely pointing out the obvious, though not sure why to begin with ... heck, it's Friday, I'll just go fly instead)
 
What they need is one that spells out "HELP". Otherwise, the pilot looks down at Gilligan and Mary Ann on the island playing with the toy, thinking "that lucky bastard"...and keeps flying.

Just another one of my 1,000,001 great inventions I'll never patent.
 
whereisrandall said:
I have one on my sailboat, one of the long range deals you buy in Asia on the street for two bucks. It's there for signalling in an emergency.

And yes, handheld and parachute flares, smoke, extra radio, all that too.
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Let me get this straight: You will intentionally blind or severely affect the vision of a pilot who is out looking for you? My thinking is that he or she will be more concerned about keeping the airplane right-side up and under control with no visual clues than they will be about your welfare at that point. Must be a reason why shining lights on aircraft is a felony.

Bob Gardner
 
op you sure you even have pilots license you dont sound like you could pass all the requirements
 
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