When it comes to flying, many people have a handful of fears. Turbulence, engine failure, and, of course, lightning strikes. Let’s face it, the thought of a lightning bolt hitting the plane you’re on is hardly comforting. But here’s the thing—it’s much less of a threat than you might think. In fact, most aircraft are well-equipped to handle lightning strikes, and the event is rarely more than an inconvenience.
How Often Do Lightning Strikes Happen?
Lightning strikes on aircraft are far more common during certain phases of flight, particularly during take-off and landing. This is because planes are flying through layers of the atmosphere where thunderstorms are more active and clouds are building up electrical charge. While lightning strikes are rare during the cruise phase of flight, they can happen when the plane is passing near or through stormy weather.
Despite what it might feel like, lightning strikes are generally harmless to the aircraft and its passengers. In 2023, aviation databases like The Aviation Herald recorded 26 lightning strike incidents, and not a single one resulted in injuries or fatalities. So, while it might sound alarming, the reality is much more routine.
What Does a Lightning Strike Feel Like?
If you’re on a plane when it’s struck by lightning, you’ll know it—but not in a terrifying way. Passengers often report seeing a bright flash of light and hearing a loud thud, like something bumping the aircraft. It can feel startling, but it’s over in an instant, and the plane continues its journey safely. There’s no fiery explosion or life-threatening event, just a brief flash of nature’s power reminding you it’s there.
What Happens When an Aircraft is Struck?
The plane is designed to handle lightning strikes by channeling the electrical current safely away from the sensitive parts of the aircraft. The lightning typically hits a wingtip or the nose, travels along the aircraft’s skin, and exits through another extremity like the tail. The result? A minor burn mark or pit on the aircraft’s exterior, which is purely cosmetic.
In rare cases, lightning may affect some electronics, but planes are built with multiple layers of redundancy, meaning even if one system is damaged, backups immediately kick in.
Composite Aircraft and Lightning Strikes
Many of today’s newer-generation aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, incorporate composite materials in their construction rather than relying solely on traditional metal designs. These composites, like carbon fiber, are lighter and more fuel-efficient but are less conductive than metal. To ensure lightning strikes are still handled safely, manufacturers add a thin layer of conductive material—often a metallic mesh—over the composite surfaces. This allows the aircraft to channel the electrical current from a lightning strike in much the same way as older, fully metal planes. The result is that composite aircraft handle lightning just as effectively, ensuring passengers are just as safe, even with these advanced materials.
More Than Just Lightning
While lightning strikes may sound dramatic, they’re not the most hazardous phenomenon associated with thunderstorms. Severe turbulence, hail, and windshear pose greater risks to flight safety. However, modern aircraft and air traffic control (ATC) have systems and procedures to detect and avoid these dangers. Aircraft are equipped with weather radar to detect storm cells, and ATC will work closely with flight crews to reroute the aircraft away from dangerous conditions. So, pilots generally avoid flying through thunderstorms altogether, minimizing the risk of these more serious hazards.
What Happens After the Strike?
Even though lightning strikes rarely cause significant damage, aircraft are usually taken out of service for thorough inspections afterward. This is a safety precaution to check for any potential unseen damage, particularly to the plane’s electronics and skin. The aircraft can be grounded for several days or weeks, depending on the extent of the inspection, which ensures everything is in perfect working order before returning to service.
For passengers, this might result in a slight delay, but it’s a small price to pay for the continued safety of air travel.
Why You Shouldn’t Worry
Planes are struck by lightning roughly once a year on average, and it’s a completely normal part of flying. Flying at high speeds through the atmosphere means encountering weather phenomena, but with today’s technology and safety measures, lightning is one of the least worrisome threats.
So next time you hear a rumble in the sky or see a flash of light while you’re mid-flight, don’t panic! The chances of anything dangerous happening are incredibly slim, and aircraft are built to weather the storm—literally. Rest assured, the pilots and engineers have you covered, and you’ll soon be arriving safely at your destination.
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