From: GBFitz@aol.com
Message-ID: <db.cc7b0c9.2753542a@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 01:07:38 EST
Subject: RE: Fuel Tank Foam and lightning
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Jerry,

You don't even need the nearly empty fuel tanks - fiberglass and lightning 
are a deadly mix.  Unless you have the carbon fiber airframe, you probably 
want to stay away from any sort of lightning.  A few years ago, the Discovery 
channel (or something like that) showed the test of the mesh imbedded into 
the airframe that Glasair had as an option on the Glasair III.  To make a 
long story short, the structure without the mesh suffered considerable damage 
when struck by the static discharge, to the point that it probably would have 
failed in flight.  In  April 1999, a glass glider in the UK got hit by a bolt 
of lightning and was pretty much blown apart.  You can read about the results 
on Avweb at http://www.avweb.com/newswire/news9951a.html.  There's a link to 
the accident investigation report.  I plan to fly IFR also, but from what 
I've read and seen, it won't be near lightning.

By the way, thanks for the research on the Crest foam stuff.

Gary
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Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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