Originally Posted by
freshgasflow
i am a non professional. I would like to know what the role of "fly by wire" could be in lightning storms. Presumably such aircraft have very high protection against electrical surges ? Are FBW aircraft more prone to control problems during electrical storms ?
I have had three lightning strikes on the A330 with little effect. On just one occasion the lightning struck the nose wheel doors on the descent and they slammed open and shut. Fortunately we were descending below 10,000 feet and were at 250 knots, a higher speed could have torn the doors off. The wires joining the flight controls to the computers and the surface actuators are very well screened in thick white plastic. The Airbus does seem to attract lightning but there has never been a serious incident until, maybe, now.