HACKENSACK, N.J. – Manufacturers describe them as perfectly safe in responsible hands. Federal authorities warn that some could bring down an airplane.

Just how great a threat pointers and other laser devices pose to pilots has become a topic of national debate in the wake of a dozen recent reports of laser beams shone into aircraft cockpits from below.

The government has warned that terrorists have explored using lasers as weapons. And last Tuesday, federal authorities in Newark, N.J., charged a Parsippany man with temporarily blinding two Cessna pilots using a cigar-shaped laser pointer he bought on the Internet.

The incidents have led some to question whether the government should stiffen regulations on the sale and use of the devices, including far-reaching Class 3a laser pointers used by astronomy buffs that are available online for around $100.

The federal Food and Drug Administration already limits the power of lasers available to the public. Several years ago, Britain went even further, banning the sale of Class 3a laser pointers.

“At this point, we think it would be appropriate for the FDA to look into whether more stringent licensing requirements are needed, given the potential abuse by individuals and possibly even by terrorists,” said John Mazor, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association.

“We’re not alarmed that the sky is falling, but we don’t know what we’re dealing with, either,” Mazor said. “If nine out of 10 times it’s just irresponsible people, fine. But we want to know about that 10th guy.”

An FDA spokeswoman in Parsippany said the agency is not considering additional regulations on lasers.

Some observers consider the risks exaggerated. They’ve pointed out that commercial planes and many private aircraft employ automatic guidance systems, and that laser-in-the-cockpit incidents are nothing new.

A study in June by the Federal Aviation Administration found hundreds of reported cases going back several years. If powerful enough, the report added, a laser could blind crew members and “make a successful landing virtually impossible.”

Homeland Security officials emphasized they have no evidence connecting the recent incidents to terrorism. In one case, a laser beam briefly tracked a plane as it traveled about 300 mph and at an altitude of more than 8,500 feet outside Cleveland on Dec. 27, the FBI says. Experts disagree about what kind of laser or angle of projection would be required for such an incident.

The Cessna plane that authorities say David Banach flashed two days later near Teterboro Airport in New Jersey was flying at about 3,000 feet. Devices such as the Class 3a Jasper bought by the Parsippany fiber-optics technician are used by some astronomy buffs to point out heavenly bodies.

That’s exactly what Banach and his young daughter were doing, says his attorney, who accused the government of turning his client into a “sacrificial lamb.”

Authorities said the 38-year-old’s actions were foolhardy and charged him with violating part of the Patriot Act. Under the law, he faces 25 years in federal prison if convicted of the charges, which include lying to FBI investigators. Should he agree to some type of plea deal with the government, he would likely get probation, under federal sentencing guidelines.

Industry officials say more than 100,000 Class 3a lasers – those with a strength of up to 5/1000ths of a watt – have been sold in the past two years.

Since the story broke, the Oregon company that sold Banach the Jasper laser pointer, Bigha Inc., has seen a jump in orders, marketing director Noah Acres said. He labeled the term “blinding” a misnomer, saying pilots likely experience something akin to a camera flash. Like other firms, the company posts safety warnings on its Web site and includes them with laser shipments.

Acres would not say how many new orders had come in, but he noted that authorities had contacted his company asking about any sales that may have been suspicious.

“I feel like this is one isolated incident and we can’t allow one person to ruin it for everyone,” Acres said. “These lasers have been tested by the FDA and they’re perfectly safe for their recommended use.”

Several experts agree.

Green lasers with the Jasper’s strength pose a threat only if aimed at the eye for an extended period of time, said Peter Baker, executive director of the Laser Institute of America.

The institute’s Web site refers to two retinal injuries caused by “intentionally staring into pointers,” but Baker said such injuries are extremely rare. Even so, the laser professionals group says further regulation of pointers deserves consideration.

In September, a commercial pilot complained that a laser hurt his eyes during a landing approach in Salt Lake City. In that case, Baker said, the culprit may have been a more powerful laser bought on the black market.

Laser sky pointers are popular in some astronomy circles for their ability to project a fine beam that appears to almost touch the stars.

“They’re a very good tool for astronomical education,” said Bob Gent, president of the Astronomical League, a nationwide association of more than 240 amateur astronomical groups. “Otherwise, it can be hard for someone who’s never looked at particular stars to see where they are.”

The pointers have not gained favor with all stargazers, however.

Rick Kurczewski, an amateur astronomer from Bayonne, N.J., said he has never had any use for them. He prefers low-tech alternatives, including using the moon or the top of a telephone pole as reference points.

“My opinion is they should be banned if they’re being misused,” he said. “There are other tools – they’re called your arm and your finger.”

Adjustable-beam flashlights have worked well for Wayne T. Hally, meteor research coordinator for the New Jersey Astronomical Association in High Bridge.

“But I’d be afraid to even point one of those at a plane right now,” he said.

“The pointers do have their use. I find it hard to believe they really do that much damage. It seems like a typical Patriot Act take-away-your-rights overreaction,” Hally said.

Authorities now are waiting to see whether the Banach case succeeds in sending a message.

An FBI spokesman in Washington said Friday that he knew of no additional arrests nationwide – but also no new laser flashings.

“Certainly arrests have a deterrent (effect) on people planning all sorts of things,” spokesman Bill Carter said. “So hopefully that’s the case here.”

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