Nippon Airline struck by lightning in Osaka.
Once in a lifetime for crew, passengers and photographer.
Lightning entered the nose and exited the tail.
What was the peak voltage?
Amazing that the aircraft itself, the people and equipment survived!
Even more amazing that there was someone to film it in real time!
This is in normal time
This is in slow motion
This is a still photo just on initiation of the bolt.
Notice the ground and air bolt feeder strike at the same time.
Answers;
Once in a lifetime?
No ! A/C are regularly struck by lightning; that's why we design to protect against it.
Peak voltage;
Something in the order of 200 - 300 million volts, but it's not the voltage you need to
worry about - it's the current (between 30,000 and 200,00 Amps (30KA - 200KA)
luckily it's of short duration - about half a second. (500mS.) The temperature is
hotter than the surface of the sun - 30,000K (50,000F)
A/C survival
The A/C survives because (in this particular case - B747) it's made of metal - there
is more than enough cross sectional area to handle the current for the short duration
involved. It's a completely different matter in A/C constructed primarily with composites
The equipment survives because it's designed to - the real threat to the equipment is
through induced voltage/current due to electromagnetic induction effects - the system
doesn't directly pass the lightning. This is mitigated against by cable shielding and
grounding etc. There can be sparking in tube systems and fuel tanks due to the
voltage/current, but again you can protect against this by good design. The people
survive because they're inside a 'Faraday cage' - all the electrical effects pass through
the fuselage and never come into contact with the occupants. (Same thing in a car
struck by lightning.)
'The nose and tail bolts arrive at the same time':
No they don't - it's the same bolt - the nose is the entry point and the tail is the exit -
The A/C is part of the lightning channel for the duration - in fact the A/C's presence
may have initiated the strike.
Friday, 24 October 2008
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Rotorway Annual Dinner 2008 (Oz)
Kev's New Machine
3 Oct 2008 saw Australia’s annual Rotorway Awards / Dinner at The Whitsundays { Australia’s number 1 tourist destination spot. The Evening was hosted by Kev & Enid with about 30 local flyer’s spouses, hanger-on’s attending including factory Rep’s Mark and Tom.
The evening started with an awards presentation by Kev to local attendee’s for worst builder, longest build, worst pilot etc. All in good fun. Guests then moved downstairs to Arlie’s famous seafood restaurant "Fish D'vine"where gluttony prevailed for the rest of the evening.
Saturday the 4th saw attendee’s rocking up to Kev’s establishment for Talon demonstration, rides and inspections. Tom conducted briefings on the Talon and future company projects and direction.
Mark in the hanger oversaw the covers off inspection of John’s 95% complete builder assist Talon
Kev conducted the demo flights on his newly completed machine for all flyer’s and nervous spouses of present builders. {you couldn’t blame any one from being nervous after witnessing Kev’s arrival with a 79 year old builder dropping in with an auto to 50 feet the pulling up into a steep sharp pedal turn before planting it on the deck.......bloody show off!}
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Enid supplied finger food and drinks for all, organised the groups, loaded the sorties and organised the days proceedings. All attendee’s left after liquid refreshments with a happy glint in their eyes. All were suitably impressed.
Rotors Under Full Engine Power
Guests In the Viewing Lounge
More Helicopters
Sunday, 2 March 2008
Saturday, 19 January 2008
New Talon A600A
The new Talon has seen some exciting changes to the Exec Series. The new ECU's about one inch square operate perfectly & with the change to the injection system {doing away with the plenum injectors} the switch over between primary and the backup system {secondary} is unnoticeable.
We have been assured by test pilots that there has been no impairment to hovering capacity considering the extra height of the extended skids. Not much has been said about the testing of the new skids to avert rollover on touch down auto's.
Kevin Lunn the Australian dealer is going to bring out a 10litre bigger fuel tank then the already up-sized version developed in Australia previously by him & is also considering an optional governor for the nervous.
There is still some debate about the enigma LCD panel instrument screen as to it's suitability of visibility in the midday glare of a summer's day, with old -fart pilots mumbling about low level flying response times when they can't see what's going on. The younger pilot set are generally in awe of it's abilities but only time will tell. For more helicopter pictures click here.
Again there is a mixed reaction to the introduction of a solid shaft tail rotor drive, most are happy with the existing belt drive & the weight saving, but then if you are an ex-robbo eggbeater driver then you are more likely so approve of the new drive.
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