REFLECTOR: Thunderstorms and composite airplanes

KeithHallsten KeithHallsten at quiknet.com
Sun Aug 8 00:34:58 CDT 2004


Scott,
Maybe Paul was closer than estimated and maybe not.  Here is a follow-up
post to Paul's:

--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "David Carter"
<dcarter at datarecall.net>
A B-52 crew  faced a court martial in SAC for taking hail damage from a
thunderstorm - they were in the clear about 20 miles away.  The facts of the
case supported that they had acted prudently and had conscienciously  stayed
a prudent distance away from the CB - they beat the rap.
    -  Them buggers reach WAY OUT to getcha.
David Carter


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Derrick" <scott at tnstaafl.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2004 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Thunderstorms and composite airplanes


> Well,  I question the veracity of the authors estimate in distance to the
> source.  If he was really 15 miles from the clouds I'm sure he would have
> enough visibility to se if it was a CB or not.   It was more likely 5
> miles.   He is a lucky man.  It almost sounds like he wanted to blame FSS
> for telling him it was forcasted VFR and dang if during the flight there
> wern't clouds in the sky!
>
> There is a great article about a strike in a
> LongEZ   http://www.ez.org/cp53-p10.htm  This guy was in the soup though.
>
> If I could only fly my Velocity when it was severe clear, I think I'd just
> sell it instead.
>
> Scott
>
> At 12:36 PM 8/7/2004, you wrote:
> >Below is a recent post to the AeroElectric List that seems applicable to
> >Velocity pilots as well.
> >Keith
> >
> >
> >Date:  8/04/2004
> >Time: 04:51:52 PM PST US
> >From: "Paul McAllister" <paul.mcallister at qia.net>
> >Subject: AeroElectric-List: Lighting strike
> >
> >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Paul McAllister"
> ><paul.mcallister at qia.net>
> >
> >Hi all,
> >
> >At the prompting of Eric Jones I thought I would share my experience
> >yesterday
> >of a lighting strike.  I published a similar note on the Europa forum.
For
> >those
> >unfamiliar it is composite construction.
> >
> >I departed yesterday from KUES up to Canada.  About 90 minutes into the
trip
> >I
> >took a lightning hit.  The weather was forecasted VFR clear, however
about
> >70
> >minutes into the trip I began to suspect all was "not as advertised".  I
> >noticed
> >a cloud about 15 miles of my port side this looked ominous so I diverted
> >away
> >from it.  I was about to call flight service when suddenly I saw a bright
> >flash
> >on the tip off my starboard wing.  The starboard side was clear blue sky
> >and the port side was at least 10~15 miles from any clouds.  No obvious
CB's
> >were
> >visible, however at 9000' it can be difficult to tell.
> >
> >The main contactor dropped off line so things went pretty quiet until I
> >kicked
> >in the "E Buss" circuit. (Thanks Bob!!)
> >
> >Damage is as follows:
> >- The paint is blistered on the starboard wing tip and the port side is
only
> >blackened.
> >- The wing tip lights (Eric's design) are destroyed with some of the
screws
> >melted.
> >- My Narco 122 VOR/LOC/GS is destroyed
> >- Wing leveler is destroyed
> >- Electronic fuel gauge.  This is a microprocessor based device.
> >- Main battery contactor (Kilovac EV200 AAANA) , which has an electronic
> >power
> >conservation circuit.
> >- Manifold pressure sensing input to the EIS engine monitor.
> >
> >The Apollo GX 60 GPS/NAV/Com and transponder survived along with the EIS
and
> >electronic propeller controller. Internal inspection of the wing tips
> >revealed no
> >sign of burning and nothing was evident when I removed the instrument
panel,
> >or rear bulk heads. There appears to be no structural damage to the
aircraft
> >or welding of the control elements.  It appeared that  the lighting
entered
> >the
> >starboard wing tip, traveled along the common ground between the LED wing
> >tip
> >lights and exited the port wing tip.
> >
> >Lessons learned?  Well it's hard to say.  I called for a standard
briefing
> >90 minutes
> >before take off and was told "clear VFR, a nice afternoon to go flying".
> >I called Flight Service an hour after the event and they told me that the
> >convective
> >activity that subsequently moved through was completely unexpected.
> >I normally always file IFR, I think if I had done so this time I might
have
> >been
> >warned.  I also think that I should have acted sooner on my hunch, a call
10
> >minutes sooner might have saved me a whole bunch of grief. Given that the
> >conduction
> >path was via the wing tip light ground I would probably increase the
> >wire size to 14 gauge and do something similar for the conductive path
down
> >the
> >back of the aircraft.  Bottom line, stay a long, long way from black
looking
> >clouds;
> >20 miles isn't enough in a tempting target like a composite aircraft.
> >
> >Paul
> >
> >
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>
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> - Benjamin Franklin
>
>
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