Struck by Lightning: Why It’s Not as Scary as It Seems

You’ve probably wondered what happens if, while flying near a thunderstorm, the plane happens to be struck by lightning…

Well, the answer is… almost always, nothing!

Lightning is a massive concentration of energy, but an airplane acts as a "shield." It is built to allow all that energy to "flow" over its external surface and dissipate into the surrounding air without causing any harm. This is due to a physical principle known as the Faraday Cage.

In some rare cases, certain onboard electronic equipment might be damaged (but for every critical system, there is always at least one backup ready to take over). Other times, the aircraft might sustain minor surface damage at the point where the lightning hit.

Can we predict a lightning strike?

Well, not exactly… First and foremost, pilots do their best to avoid thunderstorm cells entirely.

If, in rare cases, it is unavoidable, pilots can sense the presence of large amounts of static electricity in the surrounding air through certain "signals." For example, they might hear "static" or crackling on the radio, or see blue electrical discharges "dancing" across the windshield—a phenomenon known as St. Elmo’s Fire (a very unique sight, by the way!).

Scariche di elettricita' statica sul parabrezza 

One precaution pilots take in these circumstances is to turn the cockpit lighting to its maximum brightness. This helps their eyes adjust to high light levels and prevents temporary blindness if a lightning bolt strikes the nose of the plane.

In any case, the bright flash and the sudden "bang" you might hear if the plane is struck mid-flight will certainly make you jump in your seat!

But don't worry… there is no way to be electrocuted, get a shock, or explode!!

DontWorryFlyHappy!