I am frequently asked, "Are you afraid to fly when there is lightning?" My response is always the same: "I love to fly when there is lightning! The view is spectacular!" I have flown in many different weather conditions. However, I enjoy flying in conditions where there is much lightning. Words cannot describe the grandeur, beauty and power that I observe during lightning at 35,000 feet in the air. The reason for my excited response, is because of the ground breaking work of Michael Faraday, a British Chemist and Physicist. Faraday created what is referred to as the "Faraday Cage" in 1836. The Faraday Cage, as I would study in-depth during my electrical engineering undergraduate coursework, is a metal enclosure that will quickly distribute and dissipate immense electrical charges such as lightning strikes, while protecting anything inside of it. Why is this relevant to all of us who fly? In my latest and eighth book, I explain that all airplanes are "Faraday Cages," and that a plane being hit by lightning is a common occurrence. I further explore how pilots are trained to fly safely in such conditions and what really happens when lightning strikes an airplane.
Bright Flight: Fly Brilliantly! 12.29.2023
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Brilliance of Faraday