The newest helos have to meet lightning strike criteria that older ones did not. The tests zap the parts and show that no damage occurs and that the charge is conducted without the horror stories that some of the observations below describe.
The AB-139 and S-92 are the only types I know that have to meet the new criteria, so one can believe that they are better than the others in this department, along with many other improvements.
The upgrade of safety requirements is a subject that has been bashed about here in the past, but is probably still not fully understood by the industry or pilots. An aircraft first certified in the 60's or 70's is dsigned and built to standards in effect then, to much lower standards, in fact.
Last edited by NickLappos; 17th Oct 2006 at 11:12.