Originally Posted by mtacchi
Not too big a deal. I got hit the other day over Dieppe on my way into Paris. Simply noted it in log, Maint. carries out a quick inspection and the plane was on its way back to ORD. I have been hit 6 times that I know of. Only once required any sort of maintance action (new flap, due to hole from discharge).
About a month ago, here in Toronto, there was a strong thunderstorm with driving rain. A passenger in a car driving along one of the expressways was filming the storm out of the window. The camera focussed on a minivan one lane over, and just about two car lengths ahead. Suddenly, bam! The minivan was hit by lightning. It looked like it took a direct hit from heavy artillery. The camera person brought the tape in to the local all-news channel which put it on air, and by the next morning, the TV station had tracked down the minivan owner. Seems she never knew she had been struck by lightning, and there was no damage to the vehicle except that much of the radio antenna had melted.