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I was on a plane that was struck by lightning once. It sounded like a bomb had just gone off. For about 10 seconds nobody on the plane made a sound as we all tr

by User23 6y ago

I was on a plane that was struck by lightning once. It sounded like a bomb had just gone off. For about 10 seconds nobody on the plane made a sound as we all tried to figure out if we were screwed or not. After a couple minutes the captain came on doing his best Chuck Yeager impression, as is tradition, and explained to us what had happened and that there was really no reason to worry because it happens all the time and the planes are designed for it.

VBprogrammer 6y ago
It's actually getting more and more of a problem with the amount of composites going into modern airliners. They have to build in elaborate foils and meshes to conduct any discharge around the airframe.
- _-___________-_ 6y ago
  "more and more of a problem" is maybe a bit dramatic. It's a design constraint of composite structures exposed to lightning that you need to provide electrical pathways, which is what the designers do, and composite aircraft regularly get struck by lightning with no damage caused.
  - VBprogrammer 6y ago
    I don't think it's particularly dramatic. The Boeing 787 is the first airliner to really use composites to a high degree in its structure. There was and is plenty of controversy around it's lightening protection design. For example https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/faa-engineers-objected-to-boeings-removal-of-some-787-lightning-protection-measures/ https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/faa-e... It's also been controversial in small aircraft like the Cirrus SR22, for example complete failure of the radios and / or electric systems due to static buildup on the airframe. I'd say it's far from a solved problem.
    - _-___________-_ 6y ago
      It is literally a solved problem at this point. You solve it by providing electrical pathways within the structure, which is what is done in the 787 and other composite-hulled aircraft, and these aircraft regularly get struck by lightning with no issues. I am not deeply familiar with the SR22, but if they are having those issues I guess they didn't implement the well-known solutions, or didn't implement them properly.
  - Retric 6y ago
    Engineering is all about managing solvable problems. When designed and built correctly a composite aircraft can handle lightning strikes without issue. However, efficiency requires engineers to be very carefully provide sufficient protection without excessive weight etc. In other words, it really is becoming a more significant problem.

by User23 6y ago

VBprogrammer 6y ago

It's actually getting more and more of a problem with the amount of composites going into modern airliners. They have to build in elaborate foils and meshes to conduct any discharge around the airframe.

_-___________-_ 6y ago
"more and more of a problem" is maybe a bit dramatic. It's a design constraint of composite structures exposed to lightning that you need to provide electrical pathways, which is what the designers do, and composite aircraft regularly get struck by lightning with no damage caused.
- VBprogrammer 6y ago
  I don't think it's particularly dramatic. The Boeing 787 is the first airliner to really use composites to a high degree in its structure. There was and is plenty of controversy around it's lightening protection design. For example https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/faa-engineers-objected-to-boeings-removal-of-some-787-lightning-protection-measures/ https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/faa-e... It's also been controversial in small aircraft like the Cirrus SR22, for example complete failure of the radios and / or electric systems due to static buildup on the airframe. I'd say it's far from a solved problem.
  - _-___________-_ 6y ago
    It is literally a solved problem at this point. You solve it by providing electrical pathways within the structure, which is what is done in the 787 and other composite-hulled aircraft, and these aircraft regularly get struck by lightning with no issues. I am not deeply familiar with the SR22, but if they are having those issues I guess they didn't implement the well-known solutions, or didn't implement them properly.
- Retric 6y ago
  Engineering is all about managing solvable problems. When designed and built correctly a composite aircraft can handle lightning strikes without issue. However, efficiency requires engineers to be very carefully provide sufficient protection without excessive weight etc. In other words, it really is becoming a more significant problem.