Returned yesterday from Glasgow (Cumbernauld) to Kemble through the fringes of
Hurricane Alex - 35 kt headwind, 3* turbulence thru Scotland & Lake District,
22kts gusting 32kts on finals into Blackpool, etc. But the thing that really
kept
me awake was the embedded Cunims said to be in the front we were trying to
outrun as it approached from the W. Much aware of the glider whose wings blew
apart, and regretting having no chute! My rather anxious & rather seasick
passenger
managed to see two flashes, which I am pretty certain were reflections
of the fin mounted strobe on the metal frame of his specs, but added something
to the atmosphere!
In the aftermath of this it was particularly interesting to read about
Paul's
strike, and many congratulations Paul on surviving! The point that I am coming
to is that I would not expect to have survived a lightning strike on my
plane yesterday. Having no nav lights, I guess the lightning path would have
involved
an arc across the enclosed wing space to the control runs. My understanding
of the glider episode reports was that it was the massive heating of the
air in an enclosed space that produced enough expansion to blow the wing apart,
and I did not think that water was a key part of it (but I may be wrong on
that).
Paul's experience strongly suggests that the fitting of a ground wire
---From wing tip to wing tip gives a significant degree of protection. I had
been
thinking of retro-fitting nav lights when/if UK Permit privileges are extended,
but this makes me feel that it would be worth getting on with it soonest. The
glider report included analysis of lightning strike data for the day to give
a close estimate of the strength of the strike. It would be interesting and
possibly important, Paul if it were possible to get that info for your strike.
David Joyce, G-XSDJ
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