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DIRECTORATE OF AIRSPACE POLICY
K6, Gate 3
Civil Aviation Authority,
45-59 Kingsway,
London, WC2B 6TE
Tel: +44(0) 207-453-6543
Fax: +44(0) 207-453-6565
8AP/06/02/02
SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATION - GUIDELINES FOR OUTDOOR USE OF
LASERS, SEARCHLIGHTS AND FIREWORKS (THIRD ISSUE)
This Third Issue
replaces the Guidelines dated 7 July 1998.
INTRODUCTION
1. The rapid rise in
the use of lasers, searchlights and certain types of rocket-fireworks at
outdoor entertainment events, and the increased use of lasers in research
activities and measurement, is such that activities in the vicinity of
aerodromes could present a hazard to aviation. Currently, there is no specific
requirement for users of lasers, searchlights or fireworks to notify the
aviation industry of their activities. Thus, to increase awareness and to
minimise the hazard, the following guidelines are laid down for the benefit of
aerodrome managers, Air Traffic Control, users and operators of lasers,
searchlights and fireworks, and the Airspace Utilisation Section
(AUS).
SAFETY
HAZARD
2. The CAA has
received several reports from pilots who have encountered laser light emissions
in the vicinity of airports. The Flight Safety risk incurred is more likely to
be from the unexpected dazzle rather than actual ocular damage although the
risk of ocular damage, whilst small, should not be discounted.
EXPLANATION OF
TERMS
3. Lasers
used in research, industry and entertainment are generally of single or few
colours and may emit sufficient power to present a risk of dazzle or eye injury
over considerable distances. Searchlights are used for entertainment and may
look similar to laser beams when viewed from the air but are generally white in
colour. The important parameters are the amount of power entering through the
pupil of the eye in terms of the potential to cause eye damage, and the
brightness of the light source with a view to causing dazzle, distraction and
after-images. At distances where aircrew are likely to encounter lasers or
searchlights there will probably be little difference between the effects of
either light source. Therefore, for the purposes of these guidelines, lasers
and searchlights are grouped together under the generic term ‘Light
Displays’. Although fireworks present less of a problem, the effect and
hazard is such that they are included in the term ‘Light Displays’.
Finally, the term ‘Light Displays’ also includes the outdoor use of
lasers, searchlights and fireworks for research, measurement and other
non-entertainment activities.
GUIDELINES FOR
LIGHT DISPLAYS USING LASERS OR SEARCHLIGHTS
4. Light Displays are
never to be directed at or towards aircraft or aerodromes.
5. Within 10 Miles
of Aerodrome on Extended Runway Centre line. For Light Displays within 500m
either side of the extended runway centre line within 10 miles of an aerodrome,
the following guidelines apply:
- a. Lasers should have
a maximum peak radiant power of 20 watts.
- b. Beams should be
below the horizontal or a physical barrier such as a building or a land feature
should be in place to prevent light escaping along the centre-line.
- c. If 5b proves to be
impractical, the event organisers should arrange a telephone or radio contact
through which the light display can be extinguished immediately on request from
an aircraft or the affected aerodrome.
- d. If this is not
possible, then the light display may represent a threat to flight safety and
should not proceed.
6. Within 3 miles
of Aerodrome. For Light Displays within 3 miles of an Aerodrome but not on
the extended runway centre-line, the above guidelines apply but with the
addition that any light should not stray towards the aerodrome or the extended
runway centre-line.
7. Elsewhere.
If a light display is particularly powerful or takes place under a known air
traffic route, the organisers should follow the notification procedure at
Paragraph 11.
8.
Permanently-Sited Lasers. The use of permanently-sited lasers for
research and industry is becoming increasingly commonplace. However, it is
impracticable to notify the aviation community of all laser activity due to the
large number of sites involved, and because not every activity is significant
to aviation. Moreover, it is less easy to specify a power output above which
permanently-sited lasers should become notifiable, since the concentration of
the beam will vary depending on the application. Thus, operators should use
their judgement and, where they believe the power and direction of their
permanently-sited lasers could present a hazard to aviation, these should be
notified to AUS, who will then promulgate a list of sites within the United
Kingdom Aeronautical Information Package.
GUIDELINES FOR
FIREWORKS DISPLAYS
9. Aerial fireworks
displays should be limited to a height of 1500 ft above ground level and should
not take place within 500m either side of the runway centre-line within 5 miles
of an aerodrome, or within 2 miles radius of an aerodrome.
10. If the fireworks
display is planned to take place near the coast, the organisers should pass all
relevant details to HM Coastguard.
NOTIFICATION
11. If a Light Display
is arranged within the parameters given above (see Figure 1 for lasers and
searchlights), it is important that the organisers give sufficient warning to
local aerodromes and AUS as follows:
- a. The event
organisers should notify AUS and affected aerodromes, giving the time,
duration, intensity and, in the case of fireworks, the maximum height of the
display. To ensure maximum publicity, particularly to aircraft operators,
organisers should aim to provide AUS with at least 28 days notice of the
event.
- b. AUS will
promulgate the event by NOTAM, and will co-ordinate with the relevant airspace
authority as required.
- c. If the
organisers decline to accept professional advice to cancel a planned event,
they should be advised that action may be taken against them under Article 63
of the Air Navigation Order 2000 which refers to endangering the safety of an
aircraft, or under Article 110 of the same Act which refers to dangerous lights
(see Paragraph 15).
AIRSPACE
UTILISATION SECTION
12. The Airspace
Utilisation Section (AUS) is located at CAA House, London and can be contacted
as follows:
Airspace
Utilisation Section
Directorate of Airspace Policy
K1
CAA House
45-59 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6TE
0207 453
6588.
0207 453
6593
FURTHER
ADVICE
13. The Health and
Safety Executive has published the following documents which are available from
HSE Books:
- HS(G)95 - ‘The
Radiation Safety of Lasers Used for Display Purposes’
ISBN
0-7176-0691-0.
- HS(G)123 -
‘Working Together on Firework Displays: Guide to Safety for Firework
Display Organisers and Operators’.
ISBN 071-7608352.
14. Laser safety
guidance can be obtained from the National Radiological Protection Board at the
following telephone numbers:
- Chilton
(Oxfordshire): Tel: 01235 822670 Fax: 01235 822650
- Leeds: Tel: 0113
267 9041 Fax: 0113 261 3190
- Glasgow: Tel: 0141
440 2201 Fax: 0141 440 0820
RELEVANT AIR
NAVIGATION ORDER ARTICLES .
15. The following Air
Navigation Orders are relevant to these Guidelines:
ARTICLE 63 OF THE
AIR NAVIGATION ORDER 2000
Endangering the
safety of an aircraft.
A person shall not
recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or
any person within.
ARTICLE 110 OF THE
AIR NAVIGATION ORDER 2000
Dangerous
lights.
(1) A person shall
not exhibit in the United Kingdom any light which:
(a) by reason of
its glare is liable to endanger aircraft taking off from or landing at an
aerodrome; or
(b) by reason of
its liability to be mistaken for an aeronautical ground light is liable to
endanger aircraft.
Directorate of
Airspace Policy
2 October
2000
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