Warn the neighbors and anybody else who will listen: The FAA and FBI are cracking down on people who intentionally point laser lights at aircraft in flight, launching dozens of investigations and charging nearly 30 alleged perpetrators since stepping up enforcement last summer. A new law enacted in February makes doing so a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
The FAA said on Wednesday that the number of laser incidents nationwide rose from 2,836 in 2010 to 3,592 last year – as a result, FAA investigators and attorneys are now being told that warning notices and counseling are not strong enough punishments.
