Originally Posted by
jfadool
Huge misconception the lightning just jumped about 5000' it will have no problems jumping the 2~ feet between the aluminum wheel and the ground. Cars get struck by lightning as well for the same reasons.
The reason you are OK is that the aluminum skin of the plane acts as a faraday cage to keep you safe. The current moves in the skin/frame of the plane/car around you not through you.
What happens when your car (or perhaps in the future, your plane) is not made of metal? What if it's plastic, or carbon-fiber, or some other material that is not as conductive as aluminum?
Didn't Howard Hughes build a wooden plane? What if that had gotten hit by lightning?