Fergus Kyle
Joined: 03 Jun 2007
Posts: 291
Location: Burlington ON Canada
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 Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:04 am Post subject: Lightning |
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....just a quick note on personal experience. In the past 50 years or so, I (my aircraft) have been struck three times – thrice too much.
The first was in Vampire fighter on descent to landing at about 20,000 feet in dense cloud.
Fortunately I was head-down when the light erupted. There was an instantaneous ’bang’ followed by a howl which dropped in audio frequency when I abruptly reduced power to slow. On the ground, a service panel had been blown off ( fuselage was molded wood construction).
Time two was DC-9 enroute the south over S Carolina, in cloud at 31,000.. Bolt of lightning came almost horizontal from passing within about five miles of a thunderhead (on radar). I saw it out of corner of my eye coming in from F/O’s window. Big bang, no hole found, but followed by cabin crew who must know what happened, thus setting off the passengers.
Time three was on final at Heathrow, when unforecasted Cb struck left side at rudder pedal level. No system fault found but a neat ½” buttonhole-style blown through the alu skin. L-1011s are tough.
As a slow learner I determined never to pass within 15 miles of a thunderhead, except 25 miles when at the freezing level and never had another attack.
FWIW.
Cheers, Ferg [quote][b]
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