Lightning Protection of Aircraft
11-15 September 2023
A four-and-one-half day course to familiarize aircraft and system or equipment design engineers with the interaction of lightning and static electricity with advanced technology aircraft. The course begins by bringing the student up to date with the fundamentals of lightning and static electrification of aircraft and their effects on structures and systems. This is followed by a thorough review of applicable regulations and standards. Students will learn the basic approaches and techniques of protection design and certification for both new aircraft and for modifications and upgrades. Emphasis is placed on the efficient preparation of certification and verification test plans. This course has been designed to give students the practical information and basic understanding required for meaningful work in this technology and to avoid common pitfalls such as misinterpretation of requirements and costly overdesigns. The course has been developed by engineers currently active in the lightning protection design and certification of the world's most advanced aerospace vehicles and systems. This is a general course that addresses all types of conventional aircraft, including emerging electric and eVTOL and special mission airplanes.
Course Requirements
Students should be conversant with aircraft or system installation designs and should be actively engaged in the planning, design or certification of aircraft or systems.
Course Materials
This course requires the textbook Lightning Protection of Aircraft, Edition 3 and the course handbook - both provided with paid tuition. Chapters 1-8 will be covered in this course + an introduction to the remaining chapters. (Special note from the Course Facilitator: leave room in your suitcase for the textbook and handbook - they weight about 10lbs.!)
Lead Instructor
Andy Plumer, Founder and Chief Engineer of Lightning Technologies - now Element Lightning Technologies - the globally recognized authority in lightning technology.
Registration Deadline & Pricing
Registration closes Thursday, August 31. Please contact our course coordinator at +1 413-449-0059 for pricing, payment and registration information.
Technical questions?
Please contact Andy Plumer via email or phone +1 413 822 2080.
Element Lightning Technologies
Element Lightning Technologies in Pittsfield is an international leader in the development and verification of successful lightning protection for customers in the Aerospace, Wind, Solar, Maritime, Electric Power Generation and transmission, Oil and Gas, and many other industries.
Founded in 1977 as Lightning Technologies (“LTI”), Element Lightning Technologies in Pittsfield has been a leader in the development and updating of lightning simulation and testing standards for aircraft and wind turbine protection ever since. We developed the aircraft lightning transient analysis (“LTA”) testing method now in wide use worldwide.
Our 20,000 square foot facility is one of the most complete lightning-simulation laboratories in the world with generators capable of producing up to 2.4 million volts and 200,000 amperes and others - capable of simulating all the standard lightning-induced transients applicable to aerospace and ground-based equipment and systems.