Alex
My example moved relatively slowly. After the initial bang of the lightning strike, it was possible to see it move the relatively short distance to the F/D door. If I remember correctly, the cabin crew said it was not "over in a flash", if took a couple of seconds to travel the length of the cabin. It also left behind that acrid smell of electricity. You will need an amazing amount of luck to film a plasma fireball. I only experienced it once (with around twenty lightning strikes) during a flying career of forty years.
BTW, the most spectacular St Elmos fire I have seen was flickering around the spinner and prop blades of the Bristol Britannia east of Bahrain.
Last edited by brakedwell; 23rd Feb 2007 at 06:42.