LifeFlight of Maine Raises Awareness After Laser Strikes Helicopter
Amid an uptick in laser strikes nationwide, LifeFlight of Maine is raising awareness about the dangers of pointing lasers at aircraft. Recently, a LifeFlight of Maine crew was about two-thousand feet in the air and flying back to their base in Sanford, when a laser was pointed directly at their helicopter. The incident occurred at approximately 7:45pm in the Scarborough area. Our crew followed protocol and alerted Air Traffic Control to the situation. The pilot was able to continue the mission safely. We are fortunate our crew members were not injured by the laser, as this is not always the case.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 8,863 laser hazards have been reported across the U.S. this year. This includes 24 incidents in Maine alone. Under the law, a person who knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or at the flight path of an aircraft could be fined, sentenced up to five years in prison, or both.
“When we’re flying at night, our night vision goggles attract any ambient light and amplifies it,” says Michael Bonenfant, a helicopter pilot and aviation safety coordinator for LifeFlight of Maine. The pilot and clinical crew, which consists of a flight nurse and a flight paramedic, all wear night vision goggles in LifeFlight’s helicopters at night to enhance safety, particularly when taking off and landing. “Crew members can become temporarily or permanently blinded by the light, depending on how powerful the laser is. Sometimes, it can burn your retina,” Bonenfant explains. When flying an aircraft, this is extremely dangerous to the crew, to the passengers on board, and to people on the ground.
At LifeFlight of Maine safety is at the core of everything we do. Our flight crews undergo extensive training every year, including learning about the dangers of laser strikes and how to avoid such events. It is also important that members of the public know and appreciate that pointing lasers at aircraft is both incredibly dangerous and illegal.
According to the FAA, if you see a person aiming a laser at an aircraft, you can send an email to laserreports@faa.gov. Include your name and contact information, date and time of event, location, and description of the incident. The FAA will work with the appropriate law enforcement agency to investigate.
LifeFlight of Maine’s mission is critically important to Maine. We transport more than 2,500 patients each year, all of whom are facing life-threatening medical emergencies. Please help us spread the word about the dangers of pointing lasers at aircraft for the sake of our crew, our patients, all aviators and air travelers, and the people of Maine.
