The New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association (NZALPA) wants importing of strong lasers banned, as a court has ruled two young men will go on trial for pointing a laser at a helicopter.
Michael O'Hare-Knight, 20, and James Spiers, 18, appeared briefly in Auckland District Court on Wednesday where they denied a charge of endangering an aircraft.
The charge relates to an incident in May relating to a laser being pointed at a police Eagle helicopter flying over the Mt Albert suburb of Auckland.
If found guilty, the teenagers face up to 12 months in prison.
The pair have been bailed and are due to reappear in court on March 13, although no trial date has been set.
Meanwhile, NZALPA president Glen Kenny is calling on the government to ban the importation of Class 3 lasers.
"At best laser strikes are a distraction and at worst they can cause temporary blindness, or even permanent eye damage and at a critical phase of flight, on approach and close to landing, this is extremely dangerous."
He says laser strikes have been increasing over the past two years.
"It has reached a stage where any member of the public can purchase a commercial grade laser and do what they please with it."
In July 2008 the Australian government banned the importing of lasers which emit a beam stronger than 1MW.
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