In 2018, a Kuwaiti pilot flying a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was startled when lightning
struck his aircraft.
After landing safely, the pilot sent the footage from the canopy's camera to an aviation aficionado
for hundreds of thousands of people to witness the impressive event.
Since its release, many have wondered just how common it is to be struck by lightning
while flying.
A Fighter and an Attacker
In the late 1970s, McDonnell Douglas and Northrop designed a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather
multirole combat jet capable of performing both fighter and attacker roles.
It was the F/A-18 Hornet.
Although engineers designed the jet almost 50 years ago, the Hornet has proven to be
a highly versatile aircraft, mainly due to its cockpit display, top-notch avionics, weapon
variety, and aerodynamic characteristics.
The aircraft, which has a top speed of Mach 1.8 at 40,000 feet, can perform fighter escort,
close air support, aerial recon, enemy air defense, and air interdiction roles.
Its versatility and reliability make it a valuable jet to have in a carrier.
The aircraft made its maiden flight in November of 1978 and entered service with the Marine
Corps and the Navy in the early 1980s.
From its introduction, the Hornet has also been used by the Air Forces of several other
nations, such as Australia, Canada, Spain, and Switzerland.
In 1988, after noticing the Hornet's capabilities, the Kuwait Air Force ordered 40 of their own
F/A-18s in two different variants.
The delivery began in 1991, and the jets replaced the Kuwaiti's other American-bought aircraft,
the Douglas A-4KU Skyhawk.
Since they were acquired, Kuwait's Hornets have excelled in both roles.
Throughout the early 1990s, their Air Force's F/A-18s participated in missions from Operation
Southern Watch, part of the Iraqi no-fly zones conflict.
The Kuwaiti Hornets also flew military exercises with other Air Forces from the Arab states
of the Persian Gulf.
From 2015 to the present day, they have also served over 3,000 sorties in the Yemeni Civil
War.
Incident
In late December 2018, incredible footage caught through an F-18's cockpit camera showed
the stunning moment a lightning bolt struck the aircraft's canopy.
In the rare video, the pilot, only identified as Viper, is seen flying the twin-engine fighter
when a loud bang is heard, accompanied by a sudden flash of light.
Startled, Viper jumps from his seat and instantly ducks to avoid being hit.
Viper sent the footage to Jack Barquist, a private pilot and aircraft enthusiast who
posts incredible videos on Instagram and Facebook.
After Barquist published the video on his social media, hundreds of thousands have now
watched the incredible strike.
According to Barquist, the aircraft did sustain damage, including a mark on the canopy, but
did not specify its extent.
Thankfully, Viper was not struck by the lighting ray and made a safe landing.
Measures
An aircraft being struck by lightning is not an uncommon occurrence, and these types of
close encounters usually cause no significant damage.
There are only a few reported cases of strikes causing extreme, or even lethal, damage.
On December 19, 2017, a B-52 Stratofortress from the 307th Bomb Wing, an Air Reserve Component
of the United States Air Force, was about to land at the Barksdale Air Force Base in
Louisiana when the five-person crew heard a loud thud coming from outside.
After landing safely, the crew discovered that the aircraft had been struck by lightning
and that the strike had torn a 6-foot wide gash through the Stratofortress’s tail.
Still, a severe aircraft accident due to lightning is a rare event, especially with modern-day
updates.
The plane's exterior works as a shell that protects the crew and inside components of
the aircraft.
The strikes usually occur in a sharp edge like an aircraft's wing, nose, antennas, or
the canopy.
The electricity then flows through the wiring and exits through the plane's tail.
A lightning strike can interfere with the aircraft's electronics, but modern-day pilots
are trained to fly and safely land planes without modern technology in case of an emergency.
The biggest concern surrounding a lightning strike is to hit the fuel tank, where even
a tiny spark could be disastrous.
Today, most aircraft are grounded to prevent electrical arcs, a gas breakdown that produces
a prolonged electrical discharge.
One of these could cause an explosion if vapors are ignited in the fuel tank.
In addition, the pipes, fuel lines, or even motors that carry fuel to the engines must
be explicitly designed to protect against lightning.
The same happens with access doors, fuel filler caps, and all vents in the aircraft.
To withstand a lightning strike on the fuel tank, the aircraft's metal skin around the
containers must be thick enough to endure a burn.
All the structures, joints, and even the smallest bolts are carefully chosen and fastened to
prevent sparks because the lighting current commonly passes from one section to another.
As an extra precaution, engineers have also invented new fuels that produce less explosive-prone
vapors.
Still, being hit by lightning is an occurrence that would startle even the most experienced
pilots, like Viper.
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Did you know being hit by lightning is not as uncommon as one may think?
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