What happens to the plane when lightning strikes?

Question

does the plane have some kind of protection from lightning strikes when it hits the plane?

Answer 1

Maybe the plane have some kind of protection...

Answer 2

It sucks! It needs a very detailed inspection after it lands. There are usually a bunch of small burn marks all over the fuselage. If the lightning exits through a flight control surface, It can take a lot of material off. If the engines or props have any sign of damage, then the job gets a whole lot harder because then there are several more checks and probably some repairs to be made. The whole process can take several manhours not to mention time spent on logging any damage and making appropriate repairs.

But, yes. It has protection in the form of a continuous, electrically conductive airframe. Even the plastic (composite) parts have wire mesh laminated in the plies on larger planes. The electronics also have protection, but I can't really elaborate on that too much. Plenty of shielding and durable components I think.

Answer 3

There is a rather simple electrical effect that can occur during such effects. It is called the 'Faraday Cage', this states that, in a hollow conductor (the plane), the electrical interferences are FREE from any other interferences outside the conductor.

Thus, according to Faraday, when lightning strikes an aircraft the electric currents induced on it are forced to travel on the outer skin of the vehicle's body. If you were in the aircraft, and it is being struck by lightning, than the lightning will simply pass around and continue its way to the earth.

This also applies when you are driving a car, the current will come from the skies, hit your car, and continue to the earth, leaving the passengers in your car completely unharmed.

I really hope that this has helped, it took me quite a lot of work to write this for I am from Belgium and I had to translate a lot from my knowledge to English.

~DigiTaLizeD

Answer 4

Lightning regularly strikes airplanes. In fact, as far as anyone knows, the odds are that each airliner in the USA will be hit by lightning once a year. (Obviously some would be hit more than once, some not at all.)

Protection  however begins with the fact that airliners, and the majority of other airplanes, are made of aluminum, which is a very good electrical conductor. A lightning bolt's electricity flows along the airplane's skin and into the air. As you've found out, one danger is that the flash could blind the pilots for a few seconds, but I've never found any accounts of this causing any problems.

Lightning protection goes far beyond airplanes being good conductors of electricity, and the last airline crash in the USA blamed on lightning was more than 40 years ago. On December 8, 1962 lighting hit a Pan American Boeing 707 in a holding pattern over Elkton, Md. The lightning caused a spark that ignited fuel vapor in a tank, causing an explosion that brought the plane down, killing all 81 aboard.

This led to rules requiring that airplanes have built-in systems that ensure that a spark will not ignite fuel or fuel vapors in tanks or fuel lines

And flying through a lighting storm can be cool, especially if you see St.Elmo's fire.

Answer 5

From a pilot, usually nothing. Since the aircraft is not touching earth ground then the lightning usually passes harmlessly around it (In an aluminum-skinned aircraft). This is why it is safer to be in a car during a lightning storm than standing on the ground. The rubber of the car tires insulates the metal car body from the electrical strike.

Composite aircraft that are IFR certified have metal strips running through the carbon fiber (or fiberglass) to conduct a lightning strike away from any critical areas.

Lightning is a strange thing. It can stun the guy next to you and kill the one next to him so you can never tell.

From my research there has only been one accident directly resulting from a lightning strike and that was on an aircraft holding in bad weather over (NY?) in the 1960s. Lighting hit that aircraft and ignited vapors from a fuel vent causing the wing to explode. The actual strike was witnessed by several other flight crews and passengers from other aircraft in the holding pattern.

All FAA-Certified airliners must pass rigorous government-mandated lighting strike tests before they can be certified.

Answer 6

I just completed an inspection on Gulfstream GV today that was hit by lightening.  The aluminum skin of the aircraft shunts or directs most of the current and voltage around the plane so surprisingly very little damage was done.  One radio a couple of relays and a flight director computer will have to be replaced.  The crew reported a really loud bang.  But they were able to land the aircraft without any difficulties.  

I guess the answer to your question is it depends on if the airplane is constructed of wood, metal, fabric, or composite.  The age of the aircraft is also a factor.  Newer aircraft have more avionics systems and are SOMETIMES more susceptible to electrical damage.

Answer 7

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Happy Flying !

Answer 8

Saw a 4 engine turboprop that got struck by lightening on the fiberglass radar boom which sticks out the tail of the A/C.It was charred black slightly in spots, had to be replaced along with a lot of electronics and wiring. Some of the aluminum fuselage was alittle charred black in a very small section. Aircrew reported a loud boom and a big jolt.