Annually, several dozen millions flights occur globally. The number of registered lightnings per year reaches several billions. Do lightnings damage the aircrafts during the flight? How is the plane lightning protection system arranged? You can find answers to these and other questions in the article by Prof. Eduard M. Bazelyan titled "Lightning Protection of Planes".
Article summary
The article introduction provides statistical data on the frequency of lightning strikes to the planes. The author notes clear differences in the arrangement of the lightning protection for the onground facilities and aircrafts.
The first part of the article explains the mechanism of the lightning attraction to the plane and examines a reasonable question about how negative charges drain from the plane to the ground if there is no contact between them.
The second part is titled "Start of lightnings from the plane". It describes the mechanism of formation of positive and negative leaders from the plane as well as lightning "triggering" conditions.
The third part discusses the registration of the storm hazard and problems associated with the interpretation of the produced data.
The fourth part describes possible effects of the direct strike of the lightning to the plane. This means thermal and mechanical effects of the lightning discharge as well as an air blast emerging from the lightning channel.
The fifth part discusses the plane electrization during the flight and hazards associated therewith.
The sixth part describes the conditions for the formation of electromagnetic interference and possible effects as an electromotive force of the electromagnetic induction.
The seventh part involves testing planes for their lightning resistance. It discusses two issues: the possibility to determine lightning strike locations and the complexity of testing the resistance of the onboard equipment to storm interference.
The eighth part summarizes the article and tells about the perspectives of the lightning protection of the plane.
See full article here.
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