Lasers to warn pilots in restricted D.C. airspace
Beginning in mid-May, pilots who intrude into restricted airspace over the nation's capital will be warned by pulsating red and green laser beams, part of a government effort to prevent a terrorist attack.
The U.S. military will activate the ground-based lasers whenever unauthorized or unresponsive aircraft enter the restricted zone, a huge swath of airspace surrounding the region's three major airports.
The bright laser beams, which flash red-red-green, are easily seen, even during daylight or in a sea of city lights. But because the beams are directional, they rarely will be seen by other aircraft or by the public, except in hazy conditions. The laser beams can be seen 15 to 20 miles away, authorities said, except in cloudy conditions.
