Posted for kneaded pleasures <kneadedpleasures@sbcglobal.net>:

        George Braly writes  "Keep in mind that there are examples of metallic
paint "conducting" lightning across the surface of composite aircraft - - and
boiling itself in the process."

  My question is,.. might this be a good thing?  It seems that at some high
level of density of metal suspended in paint that the suspended metal might
begin to behave as would a metal aircraft in a lightening environment; i.e.,
to wick away static electricity and because of 'boiling across the surface",
protect the underlying glass fiber composite structure by dispersing
(conducting) the lightening hit across a broader area.

  I can hear the coughing and groaning even now. :)  I am not an engineer nor
close to it as are most of you.  However, I did ask this question several
years ago and no one responded - thus, I assumed that it must have been a
stupid question. But, I still don't know the answer.

  Another consideration in using metallic paint is that all antennas must be
external.  The manufacturers assured me that metallic paint is "not
recommended for radomes" and I believe that this is what our airplanes become
when all antennas are internal. The metal will interfere with both
transmission and reception unless the antennas are external.   Greg Nelson