Post by LOU on Apr 10th, 2015 at 5:18pm
Maybe it's called a rhinocyclops? ;D
Over the years, I had a few pretty good whacks caused mostly by static discharge. It's pretty rare to get a bolt that hits the plane, but it does happen.
I can think of two times where it seems that a bolt hit my plane, but one is never sure since the static discharge can do a lot of damage all by itself.
One time I was flying into KSTL in a 727 during moderate to heavy rain with TRW's in the area. We were in the traffic pattern, around 3,000 feet, being vectored for approach when we got a pretty good pop with a bright flash and instant thunder. In a few seconds we saw the number three engine start to spin down as the EGT rose.
After landing, when we got to the gate, we told the mechanic that we shut down #3 for high EGT. What had happened - we guessed - was that the discharge and/or strike had disrupted the air into the compressor causing a stall which pretty much caused the compressor to disintegrate. I never heard if any of the compressor blades which we dumped around the countryside were ever found.
Electrons are stripped from the raindrop or ice crystal as the plane moves through the air. When the potential gets too high the plane discharges to the surrounding area much like a person moving across the carpet in the dry winter and grabbing the door knob - ZAP! Most fast planes have static discharge wicks which are bonded to the planes skin so as to help dissipate the static build-up. BTW, the CS planes have modeled these into the various jets. The idea is to provide a sharp point to allow the electron build-up to bleed off. Sometimes, especially in clouds made of ice crystals, the build-up is so fast that even all the wicks cannot handle the rapid increase in potential and the plane then discharges to the surrounding atmosphere.
If you have ever played with a static generator you can experience just how the electrons want to flow from a point. If you put your hand on the generator sphere and hold out your other hand at arms length with a fist, and then open one finger to point, you can feel the electrons flow off that finger. In fact if a lit candle is held near by, you can "blow" out the flame with the electron flow! :o
Lou
Over the years, I had a few pretty good whacks caused mostly by static discharge. It's pretty rare to get a bolt that hits the plane, but it does happen.
I can think of two times where it seems that a bolt hit my plane, but one is never sure since the static discharge can do a lot of damage all by itself.
One time I was flying into KSTL in a 727 during moderate to heavy rain with TRW's in the area. We were in the traffic pattern, around 3,000 feet, being vectored for approach when we got a pretty good pop with a bright flash and instant thunder. In a few seconds we saw the number three engine start to spin down as the EGT rose.
After landing, when we got to the gate, we told the mechanic that we shut down #3 for high EGT. What had happened - we guessed - was that the discharge and/or strike had disrupted the air into the compressor causing a stall which pretty much caused the compressor to disintegrate. I never heard if any of the compressor blades which we dumped around the countryside were ever found.
Electrons are stripped from the raindrop or ice crystal as the plane moves through the air. When the potential gets too high the plane discharges to the surrounding area much like a person moving across the carpet in the dry winter and grabbing the door knob - ZAP! Most fast planes have static discharge wicks which are bonded to the planes skin so as to help dissipate the static build-up. BTW, the CS planes have modeled these into the various jets. The idea is to provide a sharp point to allow the electron build-up to bleed off. Sometimes, especially in clouds made of ice crystals, the build-up is so fast that even all the wicks cannot handle the rapid increase in potential and the plane then discharges to the surrounding atmosphere.
If you have ever played with a static generator you can experience just how the electrons want to flow from a point. If you put your hand on the generator sphere and hold out your other hand at arms length with a fist, and then open one finger to point, you can feel the electrons flow off that finger. In fact if a lit candle is held near by, you can "blow" out the flame with the electron flow! :o
Lou