>Only last year a glider flying out of Dunstable (UK) was hit by a lightning
>strike. The lightning earthed on the control (aileron ) rods and they
>vaporised like a massive fuse. The occupants said that there was a bang and
>the glider exploded around them.
Quite by chance, I saw the wreckage on Friday. It is in Roger Targett's
workshop at Nympsfield glider field. ( BBC have filmed one of their "999"
items on the subject, to be shown next spring? )
As Carl says, the push rods in the wing vaporized, it appears that there
was slight moisture in the PVC foam core because the foam also appears to
have exploded in places. Frightening.
Another story: I used to have a glider band radio in my workshop at home
which had a well insulated vertical antenna on top of the house. I once saw
sparks about 1/2 an inch long from the central conductor of the connector
to its outer ring. This occurred during a cold sector rain shower, no sign
of thunder, just the voltage built up on the tip of the antenna by the
impact of the falling rain , one spark every 3 seconds. The experiment was
repeated on several occasions.
The only answer seems to be keep well away from large cu nims. The glider
that exploded had been circling in thermals under that type of cloud.
Graham
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