Orion

On Sunday evening I was seated in 10F of this B739 on a UA flight from IAH to ORD. We were about twenty minutes out of ORD when I heard a loud bang and saw a flash of fire outside the window. And then it was over. No comment or mention from the crew. Lots of nervous chatter from us chickens. We continued through the pea soup into ORD where it was raining. Except for the bolt from the blue the flight was unremarkable.

UTex09

I've had two lightning strikes on planes, and neither has elicited a reaction from the crew. I know that they really aren't anything to worry about, but it is quite un-nerving!

docbert

I've had one lightning strike during climb out of NRT.

The flight deck crew did comment on it a minute or two after it happened to point out that it was not unusual, that nothing was wrong with the plane, and that we were going to continue on our way to SFO.

transportprof

I've had two lightning strikes in my 35 years if flying.

First time, the cabin lights went out and there was a lot of screaming. We were descending to EWR in one of those late summer thunderstorms. Plane (CO 727) diverted to PHL.

Second time was 25 years later on climbout from LHR (AC 777). We circled for 10 minutes while they ran some checklists and then continued on to YVR normally.

BearX220

Similar to my only one, on a CO 757 on a late-night climbout from SEA through the remnants of storm cells. The BANG sure got my attention, especially as I was nodding off to sleep at the time; I thought an engine had exploded. The cockpit crew was on the PA within a minute or so to confirm we'd be struck by lightning; we circled for 10 minutes while they talked to dispatch, then flew on to EWR with no further incident.

I think I've read that this happens once a day, on average, to a commercial flight in the US.

trini19

I have read somewhere that every plane in US commercial use is struck on average at least once a year. Sometimes, the plane itself can cause the lightning to occur when flying through a heavily charged region of a cloud.

Aircraft are designed for lightning strikes. Since the body is usually a one complete long piece, the electricity from a lightning strike usually just travels along the outer body and hardly ever enters the aircraft. Most components including electricals are heavily shielded as well as the fuel tanks protected against potential sparks.

The last aircraft crash attributed to lightning was in 1967 when a fuel tank exploded. Since then, technology and research has advanced so much, its more of a spectacle nowadays than something to worry about.

It is pretty nice though when the crew can announce that all is well and nice knowing that the aircrafts usually circle and do checks before continuing onwards. Learn something new each day on FT

Dieuwer

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...-when-lightni/

trini19

Yup, thats an old artcile but I have read it once before when I had this same question about lightning strikes on aircraft and remembered most of the info which is what I used in my post.

As quoted in the article......."Most aircraft skins consist primarily of aluminum, which conducts electricity very well. By making sure that no gaps exist in this conductive path, the engineer can assure that most of the lightning current will remain on the exterior of the aircraft. "

Orion

I wonder how it works with composites instead of aluminum on the skin of an airplane?

seenitall

Composite fuselages have a conductive wire mesh embedded in them (think like steel rebar in concrete) to act as a Faraday cage.

Orion

Thank you, seenitall, for the information about composites. I will fly more confidently now.

EWR756

I've been struck by lighting several times in a few different aircraft types. It's really a non-event. I've never diverted for one or sustained anything other than very minor structural damage. There is no specific lightning strike emergency checklist (on my current or previous fleet). That may differ depending on fleet however.

Unless the strike creates an abnormal, there's no reason not to continue unless something manifests as a result. We do report lightning strikes to MX upon arrival and they do perform an inspection but generally, there's very little to fear from them.

clubord

Well said.