Lightning Strike on an Airplane

Drago · Drago's Garage

http://www17.ocn.ne.jp/~wn380yy/rakurai.html

86 911 · 86 911's Garage

Wow, that's amazing!

Steve Carlton · 07-22-2005, 01:38 PM

And they told that guy to turn off his cell phone, too.

Jeff Higgins · 07-22-2005, 03:21 PM

ANA - does that mean it's one of ours? We've sold them a boatload of airplanes over the years. I wonder what effect that has on the "fly by wire" systems on our esteemed competitor's airplanes. And darn good thing it looks like it was on take off. Everyone in their seats. I'd sure hate to be sitting on the metal crapper when that thing hit.

Joeaksa · 07-22-2005, 04:13 PM

Having been through this several times, its never fun and always leaves you hoping (and praying) that nothing explodes and that the big pieces are still connected and working.

That said, they test these puppies for strikes like this and they are pretty rugged. What is interesting is that you can tell when you are in a "active area" by the hair on your arms standing up and even sometimes on your head. Gets your attention and we move back from the windshield.

Regarding being in your seats, we flight crew NEVER take our belts off. We may release the shoulder and submarine belt but the lapbelt is on all the time. Hard to control the airplane when the flight crew is floating around!

Joe A

speeder · speeder's Garage

I would think that being on the toilet would be the BEST place to be, since probably everyone on the plane shat in their pants.

My uncle and aunt were on a plane back in the 50s or early 60s that got hit by lightning and a huge fireball went right down the center aisle. This was after a period of turbulence that had people who were not strapped in bouncing off the ceiling.

The pilots got the plane into O'Hare for an emergency landing and everyone ran for the rentacar counters and train stations, my uncle and aunt simply got on the next plane going home. "What's the chance of that happening again?"

LeRoux Strydom · 07-23-2005, 05:54 AM

I was once on a KLM 747 that got hit about 10min before landing at Schipol. Huge blue flash and bang, but nothing else noticable.

The captain came on the pa system after landing with no further incident, calmly mentioned that we got hit as everyone already knew, and that these planes are designed to handle it.

Ever notice those rows of little pins sticking out the trailing edge of the wing? Those bleed off the static charges that build up on an aircraft surface all the time, due to the air friction. I guess they do their job even after such a lightning strike.

Le Roux

Joeaksa · 07-23-2005, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeRoux Strydom
I Ever notice those rows of little pins sticking out the trailing edge of the wing? Those bleed off the static charges that build up on an aircraft surface all the time, due to the air friction. I guess they do their job even after such a lightning strike.

Le Roux

These are static wicks, and you are correct that they do bleed off static from the plane. That said, they cannot handle a lighting strike and when one of those puppies hits an airplane it usually leaves a small hole where it came in and a larger one where it went out.

It can also weld a lot of stuff inbetween like control surface bearings, throttle cables and so on. The larger airplanes do not have these (for the most part) but the inspection on a plane after a strike can be rather extensive.

Still, it happens almost every day with no problems...

JoeA

Dottore · 07-23-2005, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by speeder

My uncle and aunt were on a plane back in the 50s or early 60s that got hit by lightning and a huge fireball went right down the center aisle.

I have been in aircraft hit by lightning several times - and seen the "fireball" phenomenon twice. I am told this is really just a ball of static electricity - but in my case it was probably several times the size of a beach ball and just rolled lazily down the aisle before dissipating on the bulkhead.

You can imagine how the sight of this affects people who are already totally freaked out by the lightning strike. Very spooky!

alf · 07-23-2005, 06:35 PM

Awesome!

I get on a NW plane to Tokyo tomorrow. My 8th trip there this year. Most interesting thing that happened to me was someone smoking in the toilet...oh and a flight attendant falling down the stairs on a 747, but that was last year.

Commercial flights are usually very uneventful, as they should be.

alf

911pcars · 07-23-2005, 08:44 PM

"I would think that being on the toilet would be the BEST place to be, since probably everyone on the plane shat in their pants"

Denis,
Or maybe not. Aren't airline johns made of stainless? I doubt if even 25 layers of ass gaskets would be enough insulation from an electrically-charged potty. Doing a number 1 at the time would be quite painful (I am trying to not imagine).

But theoretically speaking, no one in the plane is grounded, yes? Besides modifying the genetic structure of those on board, any ill effects from the experience (not from airplane falling from sky)?

Sherwood