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dlm46007(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:48 am Post subject: lightning strike

Found  one other anecdote: A Lancair took a strike and lost one com port of a three  screen Chelton system. engine info was lost until he could disconnect   the third screen. He then was able to access all info albeit on two  screens.

   [quote][b]

dlm46007(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:50 am Post subject: lightning strike

Recived this from a friend



  

 

  

This  was in the day before EFIS. Both strikes  were in the Merlin.  The  first one we were climbing out of Dallas dodging thunderstorms at 8 to 10  thousand feet when we got hit---We immediately lost both radios and the  autopilot.  We did get communication back eventually but I can’t remember  about the autopilot.  The nose cone was mush and there were several  pinholes around the plane, mostly on wing tips and the bottom of the  fuselage. 

  

Another  time we were climbing through 14000 feet between cells and in the open—I was  flying and we heard close thunder and I felt a slight jolt on the yoke—Neither I  or the other guy had any thought of a strike but we later found we had taken a  hit again on the nose, and a nick out of the left prop and a crack in the left  thrust bearing.  We did not lose comm or any other equipment—Both  generators were knocked off but we reset and got them back.    

  

   



   [quote][b]

pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:13 am Post subject: lightning strike

The pilot of a Skymaster across from my hangar at MLB was scrutinizing his airplane, and I went over to see what was up.  He and his wife were on the way home when they flew between two big thunderheads, and got hit by lightning.  It took out a 1/2 dime size chunk from the prop, and traveled back to the horizontal stab where it removed a whole line of rivets from a rib, a burn hole in the elevator and left on a static wick after making it frazzled.  He said nothing failed.  I asked him what the strike sounded like, and he said he didn't know.  "I couldn't hear anything but my wife screaming!!!"

 Linn

 

 

 DLM wrote: [quote]         (at)font-face { 	font-family: Calibri; } (at)font-face { 	font-family: Tahoma; } (at)page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; } P.MsoNormal { 	MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; FONT-SIZE: 12pt } LI.MsoNormal { 	MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; FONT-SIZE: 12pt } DIV.MsoNormal { 	MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; FONT-SIZE: 12pt } A:link { 	COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } SPAN.MsoHyperlink { 	COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } A:visited { 	COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { 	COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; mso-style-priority: 99 } SPAN.EmailStyle17 { 	FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri","sans-serif"; COLOR: #1f497d; mso-style-type: personal-reply } .MsoChpDefault { 	FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-style-type: export-only } DIV.Section1 { 	page: Section1 }       <![endif]-->       <![endif]-->   Recived this from a friend

   

    

      

This was in the day before EFIS. Both strikes  were in the Merlin.  The first one we were climbing out of Dallas dodging thunderstorms at 8 to 10 thousand feet when we got hit---We immediately lost both radios and the autopilot.  We did get communication back eventually but I can’t remember about the autopilot.  The nose cone was mush and there were several pinholes around the plane, mostly on wing tips and the bottom of the fuselage.   

    

Another time we were climbing through 14000 feet between cells and in the open—I was flying and we heard close thunder and I felt a slight jolt on the yoke—Neither I or the other guy had any thought of a strike but we later found we had taken a hit again on the nose, and a nick out of the left prop and a crack in the left thrust bearing.  We did not lose comm or any other equipment—Both generators were knocked off but we reset and got them back.     

    

     

   

    	  Quote: 	
		  



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 [b]

AV8ORJWC

Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 1149
Location: Aurora, Oregon "Home of VANS"

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:53 am Post subject: lightning strike

Each of those bearings on the control surfaces should be checked for resistance to movement and welding marks.  That is the purpose for bonding straps.  Our fleet of regional aircraft are hit regularly - we may even hold the record for most hits in each year.  Every strike requires a grounding of the aircraft until a thorough inspection is completed. We use a Megger, which most RV-10 owners might not have access to confirm the continued function of static dissipation wicks. The charge wants to get out of the aircraft and is quite stubborn in its seeking the path of least resistance to that goal.  

   

Some might reconsider not flying anywhere near thunderheads to avoid the  damage.  

   

Just food for thought to those who do not build with straps, P static wicks or fly near Q's.  

   

John Cox  

       

From: owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-rv10-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Linn Walters

 Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 10:09 AM

 To: rv10-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: FW: lightning strike  

  

  

   

The pilot of a Skymaster across from my hangar at MLB was scrutinizing his airplane, and I went over to see what was up.  He and his wife were on the way home when they flew between two big thunderheads, and got hit by lightning.  It took out a 1/2 dime size chunk from the prop, and traveled back to the horizontal stab where it removed a whole line of rivets from a rib, a burn hole in the elevator and left on a static wick after making it frazzled.  He said nothing failed.  I asked him what the strike sounded like, and he said he didn't know.  "I couldn't hear anything but my wife screaming!!!"

 Linn  



 DLM wrote:   

Recived this from a friend  

   

   

This was in the day before EFIS. Both strikes  were in the Merlin.  The first one we were climbing out of Dallas dodging thunderstorms at 8 to 10 thousand feet when we got hit---We immediately lost both radios and the autopilot.  We did get communication back eventually but I can’t remember about the autopilot.  The nose cone was mush and there were several pinholes around the plane, mostly on wing tips and the bottom of the fuselage.  

   

Another time we were climbing through 14000 feet between cells and in the open—I was flying and we heard close thunder and I felt a slight jolt on the yoke—Neither I or the other guy had any thought of a strike but we later found we had taken a hit again on the nose, and a nick out of the left prop and a crack in the left thrust bearing.  We did not lose comm or any other equipment—Both generators were knocked off but we reset and got them back.    

   

     

   

   	  Quote: 	
		     href="http://www.aeroelectric.com">www.aeroelectric.com href="http://www.buildersbooks.com">www.buildersbooks.com href="http://www.homebuilthelp.com">www.homebuilthelp.com href="http://www.howtocrimp.com">www.howtocrimp.com href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com 	
  

   [quote]  [/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b]www.aeroelectric.com[/b]www.buildersbooks.com[/b]www.homebuilthelp.com[/b]www.howtocrimp.com[/b][/b]http://www.matronics.com/contribution[/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b]http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List[/b][/b][/b][/b]http://forums.matronics.com[/b][/b] [b]

MauleDriver(at)nc.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:53 am Post subject: lightning strike

A lightning strike on an all electric airplane seems to be an exposure, 

but in my very limited experience, I think a manageable one.



I've flown close to thunderstorms and  will do so again.  But I stay 

visual when flying IFR.  A very workable solution to flying around FL 

and the SE US on a summer afternoon.  I avoid underneath, stay in the 

system, and use XM and ATC to avoid the cells.  JAX controllers rock.  

Under certain conditions, I'll do it at night. 



I fly solid IMC when there aren't thunderstorms in it.



But, I scared myself for an extended period of time in an early IFR 

flight when flying IMC with embedded cells.  I never  became aware of 

lightning but assumed it was there somewhere.  The cells were light but 

distinct; smooth dry flight interrupted by turbulent vertical drafts and 

varying amounts of rain.  It didn't seem 'light' at the time.  This was 

pre-XM and even pre-Cheap Bastard so I had no eyes.  ATC was vectoring 

me around the build-ups until they stopped (too busy).  Not knowing when 

or how strong the next cell encounter would be was slow torture.  A 180 

put me over high ground before VFR would be reached.  Landing required 

more plan changing than I was comfortable doing.  Straight ahead would 

put me in flat land VFR before not too long so I droned on. 



Thunderstorms - manageable but stay visual.  Hours hand flying in solid 

IMC - rare  but quite doable.  Embedded cells in solid IMC - not 

manageable with only XM-eyes.  I guess that's a personal minimum of  sorts.



So I guess I'm saying if I get hit by lightning and the entire 

electrical system is zonked, I'll fly the plane and land it because I 

don't plan to be in the clouds.



Bill



DLM wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Found one other anecdote: A Lancair took a strike and lost one com 

 port of a three screen Chelton system. engine info was lost until he 

 could disconnect  the third screen. He then was able to access all 

 info albeit on two screens.

 *

 *

bwestfall

Joined: 22 Oct 2008
Posts: 131
Location: Portland, OR

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:04 am Post subject: lightning strike

Many years ago a friend of mine who used to fly Fokker F28’s before they were retired from his airline got hit by lightning.  He said it sounded like a shotgun blast went off.  It did trip a few breakers but nothing failed entirely on the airplane.  It hit pretty close to the nose and exited out the tail somewhere.  I don’t recall the specifics but he said there were a bunch of burn marks at the exit point and a pinhole where it hit.  The F28 probably didn’t have a single computer chip in it.  He used to carry along the garmin pilot III we use in our GA planes just to make me jealous of the max speed when I used it next and he always said… “There’s more technology in this handheld then the entire rest of the jet”.  

     

Linn Walters wrote:  

   

  

The pilot of a Skymaster across from my hangar at MLB was scrutinizing his airplane, and I went over to see what was up.  He and his wife were on the way home when they flew between two big thunderheads, and got hit by lightning.  It took out a 1/2 dime size chunk from the prop, and traveled back to the horizontal stab where it removed a whole line of rivets from a rib, a burn hole in the elevator and left on a static wick after making it frazzled.  He said nothing failed.  I asked him what the strike sounded like, and he said he didn't know.  "I couldn't hear anything but my wife screaming!!!"

 Linn  



 DLM wrote:   

   <![endif]-->        <![endif]-->Recived this from a friend  

   

   

This was in the day before EFIS. Both strikes  were in the Merlin.  The first one we were climbing out of Dallas dodging thunderstorms at 8 to 10 thousand feet when we got hit---We immediately lost both radios and the autopilot.  We did get communication back eventually but I can’t remember about the autopilot.  The nose cone was mush and there were several pinholes around the plane, mostly on wing tips and the bottom of the fuselage.  

   

Another time we were climbing through 14000 feet between cells and in the open—I was flying and we heard close thunder and I felt a slight jolt on the yoke—Neither I or the other guy had any thought of a strike but we later found we had taken a hit again on the nose, and a nick out of the left prop and a crack in the left thrust bearing.  We did not lose comm or any other equipment—Both generators were knocked off but we reset and got them back.    

   

   [quote] [b]

Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:40 am Post subject: Re: lightning strike

Something to keep in mind: most of these experiences were in all-metal airplanes. Sitting inside a conducting cage offers quite a bit of protection.



But in a -10 the upper half of  my body will be inside a non-conducting fiberglass shell. It is very hard to predict how it would react to a lightning strike.



I plan to stay far away from TRW.

_________________
Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: Re: lightning strike

Here's a regional airliner after a lightning strike.

_________________
Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:49 am Post subject: Re: lightning strike

sorry, attachment didn't attach. Try again.

3755adc1.jpg

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_________________
Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:54 am Post subject: Re: lightning strike

if it doesn't attach this time I'll give up.

lightning.pdf

Description:

Download

Filename:

lightning.pdf

Filesize:

25.98 KB

Downloaded:

480 Time(s)

_________________
Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

AV8ORJWC

Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 1149
Location: Aurora, Oregon "Home of VANS"

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:54 pm Post subject: lightning strike

Working for that exact airline that Ben is referencing with the

F-28/CRJ-700 turbofans and DHC8 turboprop, they all get their fair share

of lightning exposure.  I have a lot of respect for lightning after

getting slapped by it on my first flight decades ago as a zero time

pilot and it happening right after liftoff.  PDX tower saw the bolt and

asked if we were okay.  I did not know any better at the time.  I have

learned that it can cause significant structural damage, destroyed

static wicks, composite panels blown off and component damage which can

ignite adjacent flame resistant materials. It merits consideration.



Your picture Bob looks to be fire damage of the wire looms running to

the CB panels, aft of the CO's seat.  It could indeed be lightning but

more likely the secondary effect of playing with Mother Nature on her

terms.



Years ago we had some great posts here on the RV-10 site of static wick

types, locations and advantages of bonding wires between control

surfaces and the primary structure.  Our engine shop sees too much of

internal engine damage so I do not want to mitigate the position of P&W

on their mandatory inspection requirements.  Our airline would not like

me to release some of the pictures which have been acquired

(clandestinely) while performing "Normal" day to day maintenance.  But

Thanks Bob for the post.



John



--

MauleDriver(at)nc.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:54 pm Post subject: lightning strike

The imprint of Thor's hammer!



do not archive



Bob Turner wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 if it doesn't attach this time I'll give up.



 --------

 Bob Turner

 RV-10 QB





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 79270#279270





 Attachments: 



 http://forums.matronics.com//files/lightning_145.pdf

Phil.Perry(at)netapp.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:41 pm Post subject: lightning strike

..... converting Bob's PDF to JPG so the attachment works on the mailing list.   

   

Here it is:   

   

[img]cid:image001.png(at)01CA8962.65C6D410[/img]  

   

Phil  

   

   

--

image001.png

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Lightening_Strike.jpg

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folgie(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject: lightning strike

This was not a lighting strike.....Cause by a fire inside while on the 

Ground.



Bill



---

rv10(at)colohan.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject: lightning strike

This URL offers a better image and explanation of that photo:



http://www.snopes.com/photos/airplane/lightning.asp



Chris



 On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 11:54 AM, Bob Turner <bobturner(at)alum.rpi.edu (bobturner(at)alum.rpi.edu)> wrote:

[quote] --> RV10-List message posted by: "Bob Turner" <bobturner(at)alum.rpi.edu (bobturner(at)alum.rpi.edu)>

 

 

if it doesn't attach this time I'll give up.

 

 --------

 Bob Turner

 RV-10 QB

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 

http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=279270#279270

 

 

 

 

 Attachments:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com//files/lightning_145.pdf

 



 

 

 

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 et="_blank">www.homebuilthelp.com

 "_blank">www.howtocrimp.com

 ="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution

 le, List Admin.

 ===========

 arget="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List

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[b]

Tim Olson

Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 2882

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:48 pm Post subject: lightning strike

Man that was some big hole!



Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD

do not archive

Bob Turner wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 sorry, attachment didn't attach. Try again.

 

 --------

 Bob Turner

 RV-10 QB

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 79268#279268

 

 

 

 

 Attachments: 

 

 http://forums.matronics.com//files/3755adc1_834.jpg

ricksked(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:42 pm Post subject: lightning strike

You know John....that lightning strike explains A LOT!!!!    Lot....Happy New year!!!  

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T



--

Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: lightning strike

I was mis-informed about the lightning photo (too gullible, I guess). Thanks for the correction.



But I'm still worried about the non-conducting fiberglass cabin, when it comes to lightning.

_________________
Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

dlm46007(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:45 pm Post subject: lightning strike

You could probably install a lightning rod; perhaps Deems can come up with a

mod. Perhaps a refueling probe from E6 in the forward cowl. From what I

understand there are going to be many more acceptable ways for the

electricity to get though our aircraft than fiberglass.



--

pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.
Guest

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 6:59 pm Post subject: lightning strike

(in the background Johnny Mathis sings "Chances Are" over and over ..... 

chances are since the fiberglass is non conducting ...(don't really know 

about the carbon fiber!) that any lightning strike will hit the 

aluminum, looking for the least resistance to ground.  It probably 

wouldn't be any difference wet since pure water doesn't conduct well.  

Having said that .... lightning really does some strange things and it 

all depends on Mother's attitude at the time.

Linn



Bob Turner wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 I was mis-informed about the lightning photo (too gullible, I guess). Thanks for the correction.



 But I'm still worried about the non-conducting fiberglass cabin, when it comes to lightning.



 --------

 Bob Turner

 RV-10 QB





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 79313#279313

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