Editing 3108: Laser Danger

{{comic
| number    = 3108
| date      = June 27, 2025
| title     = Laser Danger
| image     = laser_danger_2x.png
| imagesize = 684x272px
| noexpand  = true
| titletext = To combat the threat, many airlines are installing wing-mounted spray bottles.
}}

==Explanation==
Shining a laser at a plane is a [https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/lasers federal crime] in the US, and similarly forbidden in many other countries. A sufficiently powerful laser can disorient, distract and/or blind the pilot operating the aircraft. This can prove particularly dangerous to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants during take-off and landing, when planes are likely to have altitudes and orientations particularly susceptible to laser interference, and are phases that are already hazardous periods of flight. This 'use' of lasers was previously discussed in [[3030: Lasering Incidents]] and [[2481: 1991 and 2021]].

Megan claims that there's another reason why lasering a plane is illegal: to avoid provoking cats into leaping at them. Cats are known to [[729: Laser Pointer|chase and jump onto]] the dots created by laser pointers. Cats also prey on birds, with estimates of 1.3 to 3.7 billion birds killed each year<!-- is this globally, or US only? -->. Of course, a cat would be unable to jump to the height of a flying plane.{{Citation needed}} If the cat were able to reach the plane, it would find itself hilariously outsized, though colliding with the plane mid-air could cause damage akin to a bird strike (e.g. shattered windshield or engine failure). The cat in the image is similar in size to the plane and thus could do significant damage. It is unclear whether the cat is unusually large or the plane is a model aircraft. A similar joke was used in the title text of [[1463: Altitude]].

The laser is shown in green, which have become more popular in recent decades as they offer the highest power for the lowest cost and are most frequently the type used in aviation-related incidents.

The title text alludes to the fact that many cats do not like getting wet, and one of the methods people use to discourage them from a place or activity that is unwanted is to use spray bottles to wet their fur. The spray bottle might<!-- not so much, perhaps more of a pavlovian 'hint'? --> also emit a hissing sound, which cats associate with other cats threatening them. The "wing-mounted spray bottles" on aircraft could be a reference to fuel dump tubes, which spray out fuel to lighten the aircraft, commonly used before emergency landings (especially soon after take-off, when a nearly full load of fuel is now more trouble than it should have been). To combat actual physical threats to aircraft in real life, El Al (the Israeli national airline) and government aircraft {{w|Air Force One|used by heads of state}} often have various {{w|Flare (countermeasure)|countermeasures}} installed.

==Transcript==
: Megan: Shining laser pointers at planes is a federal crime. It's incredibly dangerous.
: Cueball: Oh, because it can blind the pilot?
: Megan: That's one reason...

: [A plane is shown, with a green laser pointer aimed at it.]

: [The laser disappears. A cat, approximately the same size as the plane, pounces on the plane and sends it tumbling.] 

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Aviation]]
[[Category:Cats]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]