Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 21:51:48 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1251353@logan.com>
From: Dan O'Brien <danobrien@cox.net>
Subject: Lightning strikes in glass
In-Reply-To: <list-1250499@logan.com>
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>I don't think that you have
>anything to worry about as far as your instrumentation surviving a lightning
>strike. The airframe, very likely, will not survive. The carbon airframes,
>however,  have a chance (who had a hole blown in their tail a few months
>ago?). But, I sure wouldn't test the theory!

I found no instances in the NTSB database in which a lightning strike 
destroyed an airframe.  So either the experimental glass ships in the U.S. 
haven't been struck, or if they have been struck they've actually made it 
through.  I suppose a third possibility is that the evidence hasn't been 
good enough for the NTSB to conclude that lightning caused an airframe 
failure.  The UK glider incident sure makes you wonder.  In any event, I'll 
have a good stormscope, which I hope means that the risk of being struck in 
IMC will be no greater than the risk of being struck in my backyard next to 
my grill.  This weekend I flew within about 20 miles of a Tstorm in a 
Cardinal equipped with a stormscope.  No lightning.  No bumps.  I'm hoping 
I'll continue to be able to do that in my ES.

I live in the DC area, which seems to me like the thunderstorm capital of 
the world.  I'd be interested in knowing if anyone thinks the rule of thumb 
of staying 20 miles away from Tstorms should be revised when flying in 
glass.  I really don't have any idea how likely lightning is that far from 
a storm cell.