Jetstar Dreamliner grounded after significant lightning damage

[JetFixer]

This was kept quiet for a while, article below. Doesn't look like the 787 holds up to lightning strikes as well as an aluminium hull. My experience is with metal airframes but I have been involved in assessing lightning strike damage on composite tips and flight controls, usually the copper mesh gets burnt and there are scorch marks on the composite but no perforation. Looks as if the panels are not electrically bonded correctly to provide a path for the lightning through the aircraft and out of the static wicks.

https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/jetstar-dreamliner-grounded-after-significant-lightning-damage-20220517-p5am1p.html

[Station Zero]

Not the first time a 787 has had a splash of lightning like this, won't be the last. The heating effect is probably the main issue as will lead to the delamination of the carbon fiber.

Individual fasteners may be able to be treated fairly similar to metallic aircraft and replaced.

The skin areas can either have a bolted titanium repair or the more expensive option of a composite flush repair.

The area in the video is a full barrel section, no panels to bond essentially in the traditional sense, there is lightning strike protection but if the energy is sufficient damage with eventuate.

Carbon fiber isn't the best conductor of electricity, which is why instead of using the structure for current return as on metallic aircraft the 787 has a Current Return Network as well.

Static wicks by the way are to bleed off static rather than to handle lightning strikes, just so happens sometimes they are blown off when the path the lightning takes is through one.

[MickG0105]

Similar incident back in 2017.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/198478

[Scooter Rassmussin]

You will shortly see it painted in Qantas colors and planted in Longreach for the kids to play on . Still not a hull loss though as the Hull is still there.

[Showa Cho]

***Not a pilot***

Is a lightning strike test (somehow) part of the certification process for new aircraft?

[krismiler]

Any damage to a composite airframe requires specialist repair and will probably involve input from Boeing. It's a bit more involved than calling in a skin basher with basic sheet metal tools.

Flight crew on the 78 are normally a bit more conservative regarding WX, stuff that you would normally accept with a conventional airframe will have them calling for headings and offsets.

[601]

you would normally accept with a conventional airframe
How do you judge what is acceptable.
During my flying career, there was no acceptable storm.

[ACMS]

A350 no better, we called it the lightning magnet…

[tdracer]

***Not a pilot***

Is a lightning strike test (somehow) part of the certification process for new aircraft?
Yes - actually a whole bunch of actual and simulated testing. There is an entire industry that has evolved around it.

[Servo]

Picture of a carbon fiber fishing road, hit by lightning.........

https://www.onthewater.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/lighting_rodb.jpg

[oldpax]

Its all lies!Another attack by a UFO,we are being kept in the dark about it!

[PaulNick]

As a 8 year line engineer on the 787 we have seen hundreds and hundreds of lightening strikes. However real damage to composite structure is minimal. Usually just requiring a fastener replacement as that's where the lightening goes through. We find the metal matrix does it job quite well.

[Gear in transit]

Is that regarded as minimal damage??

[swh]

Is that regarded as minimal damage??

Spoke to a couple of experts in the Bogans Lounge that were fully qualified in these sort of jobs, they said they would just use a a two part fibre glass body filler from Bunnings and she should be good to sand in a day. Could spray paint it with a can the next day.

[Capt Fathom]

So an aircraft got hit by lightning. What is the issue? Every strike is different and treated accordingly. It’ll buff out.