Composites in airliners and Lightning
It struck me like a bolt today (haha) that the electrical protection offered by an all-metal can in the sky is not going to be present on something like the 787 - this would seem to mean that lightning might find its way inside the structure, particularly as the components age and gaps appear, or worse, create a situation at metal-composite interfaces where great heat might be generated, e.g. if the composite breaks down electrically under an enormous potential applied across it in a lightning strike.
I assume this problem is understood by aero-engineers. Right?
-drl