An airplane departing Sky Harbor Airport Wednesday night was blinded by a handheld laser device that was pointed at the cockpit. That plane was one of 35 across the country that was struck by a laser that night.

Valley aviation expert Jim Tilmon said pointing a laser at an aircraft not only puts the lives of those on board in danger, but also those on the ground.

"That airplane becomes a very dangerous bomb as soon as its flying alone with nobody able to see what’s going on in the cockpit," he said.

Other laser strikes involved airplanes in California, Colorado, Utah and Texas. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the strikes.