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What happens if lightning strikes a plane?

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Although passengers and crew may see a flash and hear a loud noise if lightning strikes their plane, nothing serious should happen because of the careful lightning protection engineered into the aircraft and its sensitive components. read more

Edward J. Rupke, senior engineer at Lightning Technologies, Inc., (LTI) in Pittsfield, Mass., provides the following explanation: It is estimated that on average, each airplane in the U.S. commercial fleet is struck lightly by lightning more than once each year. read more

A: Lightning strikes will usually leave small burn marks or holes at the entry and exit point. Airplanes are designed to allow lightning to move along the skin of the airplane without doing damage. Occasionally, a static wick will be the victim of lightning exiting the airplane. read more

Lightning strikes occur in clouds all the time; in fact, sometimes it’s the airplane itself that causes a lightning strike when it travels through clouds. Keeping this in mind, an airplane is designed in a way that it can withstand powerful bolts of lightning at any time, anywhere, without compromising the safety of the people inside. read more

The way commercial aircraft are protected from lightning damage is by keeping the lighting current in the outer skin of the airplane. Most aircraft skins consist primarily of aluminum, which conducts electricity very well. read more

According to Lonely Planet, planes are engineered with a science that allows them to withstand lightning strikes and keep passengers safe. Older aircrafts are secured with a type of metal that makes it so once lightning hits, it doesn’t harm the plane. read more

Edward J. Rupke, senior engineer at Lightning Technologies, Inc., (LTI) in Pittsfield, Mass., provides the following explanation: It is estimated that on average, each airplane in the U.S. commercial fleet is struck lightly by lightning more than once each year. read more

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What Would Happen if Lightning Struck Your Airplane In ...
Source: scienceabc.com