How do the laser classes apply to airspace safety?
The classes were developed for those closely working with lasers, such as scientists and technicians. Since laser beams do spread out, the hazard is lessened when one is much farther from the laser source. A laser beam from a powerful Class IV laser may be reduced to a safe laser-pointer-like level after the beam spreads out over distance.. For this reason, it is not correct or appropriate to imply that a laser which is hazardous at close range would cause similar hazards at aircraft distances. It is perfectly possible for a laser that can light a cigarette two feet away, to be safe to look at when one is 1,000 feet away from it. In addition, the laser is made even safer by the fact that the beam is likely to scan briefly over the cockpit, rather than be accurately tracking for many seconds an aircraft moving at hundreds of miles per hour. Thus, it also is not correct or appropriate to imply that a laser which is hazardous when the beam and its target are fixed, would be as hazardous w
