A British Airways Airbus A350 aircraft was struck by lightning while parked at the gate in São Paulo. Following the incident, the plane completed its scheduled flight to London with a six-hour delay.
Commercial Aircraft and Lightning: How Dangerous Is It?
It is estimated that commercial aircraft are struck by lightning at least once a year. However, it has been over 40 years since a crash was directly attributed to a lightning strike. This is largely because modern aircraft are designed to be highly resilient to such events.
An aircraft’s fuselage is built to conduct electricity. Lightning typically enters through the nose and exits via the tail, leaving passengers and flight safety largely unaffected.
“British Airways Uçağına Yıldırım Çarptı: Uçuş 6 Saat Gecikti!”
Sao Paulo’da kapıda bekleyen Airbus A350’ye yıldırım çarptı. Yıldırımın etkisi sınırlı olsa da, uçak Londra uçuşunu altı saatlik bir gecikme sonrası gerçekleştirebildi. ✈⚡ #BritishAirways #Havacılık #Yıldırım pic.twitter.com/BdWt1cIbZi— Mevlüt Zor (@mevlutzor) January 25, 2025
What Damage Can Lightning Strikes Cause?
Although planes are constructed to withstand lightning, such incidents can still result in superficial damage or issues with electronic systems. For example:
- An Air Canada Boeing 777 flying from Vancouver to London Heathrow sustained minor damage from a lightning strike.
- A similar incident occurred on a domestic flight in Australia involving a Boeing 787.
While manufacturers like Boeing have reduced lightning protection in certain models, such as the 787 series, to cut costs and speed up production, they insist that safety standards have not been compromised.
Safety Inspection of the British Airways Plane
The British Airways Airbus A350 struck by lightning in São Paulo underwent a thorough inspection before departing for London. Experts highlighted the resilience of modern aircraft and noted that the impact of the lightning strike was minimal. Following the assessment, the plane was cleared for safe operation.
© AeroHaber.com
Aviation News and Defense Industry news published on our website cannot be used without proper attribution.
Follow Us on Social Media!
For more news and updates, connect with us on:
- Instagram: [AeroHaber_ AeroNews]
- LinkedIn: [AeroHaber | AeroNews]
- X (Twitter): [Aero_Haber]
Stay tuned for more insights into airline policies and passengers’ rights!
