[ELI5] Why are planes struck by lightning occasionally, and why is it seemingly not a problem for them?
In: Physics
If the lightning strikes a composite area it will be severely damaged. The glue holding the layers of material together will start delaminating. Many aircraft have lightning diverter strips embedded in large composite parts of the jet, allowing lightning to follow a conductive path.
Typically, when lightning strikes any part of the jet, it is on the extremities of the jet, far away from the electronics, and if it’s on the metal part, it allows the lightning to pass through. If the metal is thin, the current will burn through the metal so areas around the fuel tanks are typically much thicker. This doesn’t automatically mean lightning strikes on all metal parts of the aircraft are safe. All electronics are grounded to the aircraft structure; an unlucky strike could destroy certain electronic devices.
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