PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - B.A.Longhaual a/c multiple lightning strikes.
Old 26th July 2007 | 15:50
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FlyingConsultant
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 58
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From: U.S. East Cost and Europe (travelling too much, and at home in both)
the composites don't fair too well! In this case the translating sleeve has got to be replaced and one of the fan cowls requires extensive repair.
.......
The D duct has several holes where the composite filaments have shattered with the resin being destroyed, as the lightning passed through and out of the the duct it has also delaminated the trailing edge. It appears that the 'bolt' passed from left to right and exited (with associated damage!) through the right wing damaging the outb'd aileron and tip.
I have to admit I cannot follow this completely, but the description does not surprise me. From what I remember (could be wrong with more modern composites) these materials do not conduct electricity very well. One could conclude that they are less likely to be hit (no idea but I would guess that's true), but the problem is that there is still plenty of metal in and around the stuff. So lightning will ultimately find the metal - but on its way it will heat up the composites very rapidly. They don't take that too well. In addition to the bonding agent, depending on thje composit, some have air and gas bubbles, and in some cases water embedded, which I guess would explovely expand, leading to local delamination. Oops

On the other hand, it's such an obvious question that somebody must have thought about it, so I assume (stupid me) that there is nothing unsafe here. Just very expensive to repair.
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