Lasers warn pilots of restricted airspace:
The U.S. military is planning a final demonstration Friday night of a ground-based laser system designed to warn pilots who have flown into restricted airspace over the nation’s capital.
During the demonstration of the Visual Warning System, a test aircraft will be illuminated with alternating red and green laser lights, said Michael Kucharek, spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
“It’s an attention-getter, but it’s not blinding,” Kucharek said. “It’s not a distraction. So pilots can still focus on flying the aircraft without endangering anyone or themselves.”
After warning pilots and law enforcement to watch out for terrorists using lasers to blind pilots and crash jets, the military is going to use lasers to literally light up plane cockpits like a Christmas tree when they enter restricted airspace.
Not a distraction? Whose lives are you betting?
