Lightning Strike

I've had to deal with a couple on the maintenance side, one was in flight & the other on the ground. Both cost big bucks!

The one in flight was a Cessna Caravan - everything steel ended up magnetized & had to be degaussed, a bunch of flight control bolts had arcing damage & it lost some sheet metal on one elevator where the bolt exited (and most bonding wires got cooked along the way). It was hit on the prop - both the prop & the engine had to be replaced, the engine because it was magnetized & also suffered a partial power loss after the strike.

The one on the ground was a CH-47 - an aft rotor blade was struck, these are composite with an embedded wire mesh for lighting strike protection & bonding wires running to the rotor head. Blade was toast (the wire mesh cooked it's way out of the blade) along with the head, can't remember if the transmission was hurt or not - the bonding wires between the blade & rotor head vaporized. The aircraft was connected to a ground point on the ramp & the wire melted, along with a ground wire that hangs off the aft landing gear & contacts the ground.
 
I saw a Cessna 182 that was hit while parked. The lightning blasted holes under all three tires. Not much damage to the aircraft. (my friend wound up buying it)

Lightning is about the only thing I fear while sailing offshore. School is out on protection v/s attraction.
 
I was in the jump-seat of a 727 that was struck twice in about three minutes. The first hit the window frame next to the FO who was hand flying a step-down DME approach at the time (the a/p was inop).

The second hit a screw on the radome. When they went through the post-strike system check the SO's voice was very high. After he finished he took the PA mic and made an announcement to the pax in a calm and normal voice.
 
Hmmm. Well that one carried on flying however...when you land you can find something like this.
 

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Thanks for that elucidation Juan, a friend had posted that to me as the result of a lightening strike.
 
Lightning is about the only thing I fear while sailing offshore. School is out on protection v/s attraction.

Yeah, the 48' sailboat I bought had a lighting strike in FL (saltwater hates boats interior….the reason I was able to buy it) while tied-up at a dock....blew out the speed transducer and the bilge pump couldn't keep up and sunk. Always carry an assortment of cork and rubber plugs for sealing through hull holes and other unexpected holes….especially off-shore ;).
 
A friend of mine was on a KC-135Q when it was struck by lightening. The wing, from the number 1 engine out, separated from the aircraft. They landed with no one hurt. The Air Force shipped the plane back to Boeing where they put a new piece of wing back on. I flew it the first time after the repair. It was an adventure for both of us (him mostly)
 
brett s I have heard some third hand stories about actual lightning strikes and appreciate your first hand experience on this topic in your post #3. Thanks. I have heard about (metal) being (cooked) out of composite aircraft appendages and what you say confirms what I heard.

Resasi I was always told that the exit of the lightning strike left a "small hole" in the fuselage but I was reluctant to understand. To me a lightning exit hole should look like your picture in post # 8. Your picture confirmed what I always pictured. I have been in cars , and houses hit by lightening. I curl up and scream like a little girl. That is if it is possible for a rough and tumble helicopter pilot who is not afraid of anything to assume the position of a screaming little girl. Some things are possible I suppose. Don't tell anybody I said that.

Thanks

Arnie.
 
Thanks for that elucidation Juan, a friend had posted that to me as the result of a lightening strike.

You welcome Leigh,I received the same E-mail time ago,but was to much damage according to my experience as line maint.technician,and I found the true after some look in the web.

JC
 
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