if an airplane is flying under a thunderstorm, can it be struck by lightning. up there it has no ground?

Answer 1

Airplanes get struck all the time (they average once a year per plane), however, they are rarely damaged. They aren't damaged because the electricity simply hits one point, conducts through the surface of the plane and exits at another point. This is one (of many, of course) of the reasons that the skins of planes are made of conductive materials, otherwise the plane would absorb the strike and suffer huge damage.

If you're interested as to why the lightning only travels on the surface of the plane, you can look up info on Gauss's Law.

Answer 2

Planes can be struck by lightning flying anywhere in the vicinity of a thunderstorm, be it above, below, inside, or around the storm. Most larger airplanes have static wicks to ground them, so lightning strikes aren't that big of a deal. They also avoid flight into thunderstorms for the most part.

Answer 3

All lightening needs is a sufficient difference in positive and negative charge. This happens all the time because airplanes can be seen as flying "grounds" as far as the lightening cares. Airplanes have small lightening rods to bleed off excess charge buildup to prevent or minimize the size of the lightening strikes. Because you can't guarantee the plane won't be hit, further safeguards (surge protectors, etc) are installed. Usually, the electricity stays on the outside of the plane (look up Faraday Cage) but sometimes it finds a path inside if the charge is big enough.

Answer 4

Actually it can, but here's what happens since there's no ground up there. The lightning just hits the plane and then just continues to go down into the ground. I think that's like saying that the plane just comes between the lightning and the ground, but the plane will be a definite "detour", since it's a large metallic object. However, the lightning will always be more attracted towards the ground.

Answer 5

Absolutely. As one stated, "It happens all the time." Airliners have built-in surge protectors and numerous other safe-guards against electrical damage from lightening strikes. Keep this in mind when flying through bad weather...!

Answer 6

Since aircraft are made of metal, lightning tends to run along the outside and drains back off into the clouds.

Answer 7

Planes are hit by lightening all the time. They are insulated for starters and since they aren't touching the ground I'm pretty sure the lightening just keeps going with little damage.

Answer 8

From what I understand those big commercial airliners fly above the weather in high altitudes.

Answer 9

planes usually fly above weather like that, and if they can't then they are delayed or cancelled or change their path. They can get struck, that's why they avoid flying in storms

Answer 10

yes it can also get struck whilst flying above a thunderstorm,