What happens if lightning strikes a plane

Ever thought about what happens if lightning hits your plane in the air? It might sound scary, but planes are made to handle such powerful storms. Experts say that planes in the U.S. get hit by lightning more than once a year. But this rarely harms anyone on board¹.

Planes are built to direct lightning’s electric charge through their metal bodies. This keeps damage to a minimum. Smaller planes get hit less often because they’re smaller and can avoid storms¹.

Key Takeaways

• Aircraft are struck by lightning an average of one or two times annually².
• Lightning strikes rarely cause physical damage to aircraft interiors due to proper design and maintenance².
• The conductive outer shell of the aircraft allows the electric current to pass through, minimizing damage².
• The Faraday cage concept on airplanes shields passengers from electricity during lightning strikes².
• Careful engineering and safety measures ensure that lightning cannot ignite the aircraft’s fuel system¹.

Lightning Strike Frequency on Aircraft

Aircraft are quite strong against lightning strikes. Every commercial aircraft is struck by lightning once or twice a year.³ The last plane crash in the U.S. from lightning was in 1967⁴. Since then, planes have become safer thanks to new designs and protection.

Commercial Aircraft Lightning Strikes

On average, an aircraft in commercial service is hit by a bolt of lightning once or twice yearly.⁴ Most of these strikes don’t cause big problems⁴. Parts like the radome and wingtips are made to handle lightning’s power³.

General Aviation Lightning Encounters

Smaller planes are hit by lightning less often. This is because they are smaller and can avoid bad weather⁴. But, they still get damaged sometimes, like their wings or lights³.

“Lightning activity is more common at lower altitudes, between 5,000 and 15,000 feet.”⁴

Even though accidents are rare, they can still hurt planes a lot. Sometimes, it takes weeks to fix them⁴. Pilots and others in aviation work hard to keep everyone safe from lightning³.

Statistical data related to Lightning Strike Frequency on Aircraft from the provided material⁴. Statistical data related to Lightning Strike Frequency on Aircraft from the provided material.

How Planes Are Designed to Withstand Lightning

Modern passenger jets are built with safety in mind. Their conductive exterior skin, mostly aluminum, lets lightning current flow out. This keeps the inside safe from damage⁵.

Conductive Exterior Skin and Structures

For planes made of advanced composites, special layers carry lightning. These layers help keep the plane strong and safe⁵.

Embedded Conductive Fibers in Composites

Conductive fibers and screens in composites are key to safety. They act like a Faraday cage, protecting the inside from lightning⁵⁶.

Lightning rods and grounding systems help planes face lightning strikes. These designs keep jets safe in storms, making air travel secure for millions⁵⁶.

“Aircraft lightning protection technologies safeguard more than 27,000 planes annually, ensuring the safety of both crew and passengers during air travel.”⁵

The Role of the Faraday Cage

When lightning hits an aircraft, its metal skin acts as a Faraday cage. This protects passengers and important systems from the electrical shock⁷. The cage blocks electromagnetic fields, keeping them out of the plane’s interior⁸.

The electric current then flows through the plane’s metal exterior. This way, it doesn’t harm people or sensitive gear inside.

The Faraday cage is key to keeping planes safe⁸. The metal body of a plane has free electrons that move easily⁸. When an electric field hits, the inside of the conductor stays electrically neutral⁸.

This keeps passengers and electronics safe from lightning’s strong electromagnetic effects.

Smaller planes have some lightning protection, but not as much as big jets⁷. They are more at risk of damage from lightning⁷. On the other hand, big commercial planes are built to handle lightning strikes. Their metal skin and conductive parts work as a strong Faraday cage⁷.

The Faraday cage is a key part of plane design. It keeps passengers safe and systems working during a lightning strike⁸. By knowing about the Faraday cage, we see the advanced engineering in modern planes. It protects them from lightning’s powerful effects.

Protecting Critical Systems and Equipment

Keeping an aircraft’s outside safe is key, but protecting the inside is just as important. The job of a lightning protection engineer is to make sure no bad surges reach the aircraft’s sensitive parts. Careful shielding, grounding, and surge suppression devices help keep these parts safe from lightning⁹.

Every important part of an aircraft must be checked by the maker to be safe from lightning. This includes things like avionics and flight controls⁹¹⁰.

Shielding and Surge Suppression

Shielding aircraft systems is a detailed job. Materials like conductive meshes and braided cables make a Faraday cage around electronics. This blocks EMI from lightning¹⁰. Surge protection devices also help by sending dangerous voltage spikes away from sensitive parts¹⁰.

FAA Regulations for Lightning Protection

The FAA has strict rules to make sure aircraft can handle lightning strikes¹⁰. Makers must test their designs to meet these standards before they can fly commercially¹⁰. They check if the lightning protection works all over the aircraft¹⁰.

“The FAA has established rigorous safety standards and regulations to ensure aircraft can withstand direct and indirect lightning strikes.”

Fuel System Safeguards Against Lightning

Engineers take big steps to keep aircraft safe from lightning. They make sure lightning can’t start a fire in the fuel system. The fuel tanks are covered in a thick layer to stop lightning from burning through.

They also make sure all parts fit tightly together. This stops sparks from happening when lightning moves from one part to another¹².

Doors, caps, and vents are made strong to handle lightning’s power. New fuels that don’t explode as easily are also. This makes it even safer¹².

• Conductive aircraft skin to withstand lightning-induced burn-through
• Tightly designed structural joints and fasteners to prevent sparks
• Specialized access doors, fuel filler caps, and vents to withstand lightning
• Use of less explosive fuel formulations to reduce ignition risk

The aviation industry works hard to protect aircraft fuel systems from lightning.

“The FAA is changing rules to make fuel systems safer from lightning. They want to stop big fires caused by lightning.”¹²

These steps help keep everyone on the plane safe. The industry is tackling the risk of fuel igniting from lightning head-on¹².

The FAA’s new rules show the industry’s commitment to safety. They keep improving standards and following the latest science on lightning¹².

Radome and Lightning Diverter Strips

The aircraft’s radome is a special area that needs extra care for lightning protection. Since radar can’t be in a metal box, lightning diverter strips are used on the radome’s outside. These strips, made of metal or conductive buttons, act like lightning rods. They keep the radar safe from lightning¹³.

Lightning Diversion Systems makes four types of diverter strips for planes, helicopters, and wind turbines¹⁴. Their system for planes uses special strips that protect against lightning well. These strips can handle huge currents without getting damaged much¹⁴.

StrikeTape is another big name in keeping radomes safe from lightning¹⁵. It’s made to last and fits any radome shape. StrikeTape also has different ways to attach it, making it easy to install¹⁵.

Protecting the radome from lightning is very important¹³. Almost every commercial plane gets hit by lightning once a year. Lightning diverter strips keep the radome safe from these strikes¹³.

With the right installation and care, these diverters protect the radar. This keeps the plane safe to fly¹³.

lightining strike plane

When an aircraft triggering lightning strike happens, it’s scary for pilots and passengers. But, today’s planes are made to handle these shocks. Experts say planes get hit by lightning about once or twice a year¹⁶. Though it’s scary¹⁶, pilots and experts say it’s safe for everyone on board¹⁶.

Aircraft Triggering Lightning Strikes

Planes often start lightning when flying through charged clouds¹⁷. The lightning flash starts at the plane and goes in both directions¹⁷. At first, the plane might glow at the nose or wings from the air ionisation¹⁷.

Static wicks on the wings help get rid of static electricity¹⁷. This makes it less likely for lightning strike on aircraft to happen¹⁷.

Pilot Experiences During a Strike

Pilots might see lights flicker or instruments get a little wonky during a strike¹⁷. Passengers and crew might see a flash and hear a loud boom¹⁷. But, the current usually goes through the outside of the plane and out without harm¹⁷.

Pilots then choose whether to keep flying or land for checks and repairs after a thunderstorm flight encounter¹⁷.

Even though these strikes are scary, today’s planes are built to handle them¹⁷. Their conductive outsides and special fibers in the composite help keep the plane safe¹⁷.

“Lightning strikes are considered a regular occurrence and are not usually a huge deal for aircraft,” says Ethan West, a student pilot¹⁶.

Kit-Built Aircraft Lightning Concerns

Kit-built composite aircraft are exciting for experimental aviation. But, they raise concerns about lightning protection¹⁸. These planes are made from fiberglass or graphite, which can be damaged by lightning if not protected.

Unlike commercial planes, kit-built “experimental” planes don’t have the same lightning protection¹⁹. This puts pilots at risk when flying near thunderstorms or charged clouds¹⁸.

• Pilots should avoid flying near lightning storms or in charged clouds¹⁸.
• Conductive coatings and fibers can help protect against lightning damage¹⁹.
• Triggered lightning is a big concern for kit-built planes in charged areas like the North Sea¹⁸.

The kit-built aircraft market is growing. The aviation community needs to address lightning safety concerns²⁰. Good design, testing, and lightning protection practices are key for these planes to be safe.

“The Lightning LS-1, designed around Jabiru’s 3300 engine, delivers a performance rarely matched in Light-Sport Aircraft, including reaching a speed of 120 knots (138 mph) which is the LSA speed limit.”²⁰

The kit-built aircraft market is evolving. The aviation community must focus on lightning safety¹⁸. Good design, testing, and lightning protection practices are essential for these planes to be safe.

Historical Lightning Strike Incidents

Lightning strikes on planes are common, with each plane hit once or twice a year on average²¹. But, the industry has made big steps to protect planes from lightning. The last plane crash in the U.S. from lightning was in 1967. It was a Boeing 707 of Pan Am that exploded.

The 1967 Fuel Tank Explosion

On December 8, 1963, Pan Am Flight 214 crashed, killing 81 people²². This was the first fatal crash for Pan Am’s Boeing 707. The crash happened after lightning likely set fuel vapor on fire in a tank. This caused the left wing to break off.

The plane, a Boeing 707-121, had flown for 14,609 hours before the crash²². The pilots had a lot of experience, with 17,049 and 13,963 hours flying²². Many people saw the lightning and the explosion, with 23 saying the plane was on fire before it crashed²².

This event changed how we understand lightning’s effect on planes²². Since then, no plane crashes have been caused by lightning, thanks to better safety measures²¹.

Lightning strikes planes every day, with 40-100 strikes happening every second worldwide²¹. But, thanks to innovation and safety, we’ve avoided such tragedies. Modern planes are designed to withstand these dangers.

Conclusion

Lightning strikes on planes might seem scary, but modern planes are safe. They have special designs and systems to protect against lightning. This means planes can handle lightning strikes without big problems²³.

Small planes might be more at risk, but flying on big planes is very safe. Pilots and air traffic control work hard to keep you safe from bad weather²⁴.

Knowing about the safety features in planes can make you feel more secure. These features protect the plane from lightning and other dangers. So, you can relax and enjoy your flight, knowing you’re safe²³²⁴.