Here is video of a 737 on the ground taking a lightning strike. In the still frame at the end of the video, one can clearly see the the lightning jumping between the landing gear and the ground. An airplane tire is pretty conventional with rubber and non metallic fiber cords. the wheel is metal alloy mounted on steel landing gear. The airplane in this case is an aluminum tube. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lightning-strikes-delta-boeing-737-plane-atlanta-airport-video-1516344
Interesting. Wouldn't the relative lack of metal on the trailer's surface make a strike less likely? Are rubber-coated antennas less susceptible to strikes? I wonder if the carbon black used in tire rubber is a good conductor, or at least provides a good path to ground for lightning.
Interesting. I've only seen one or two videos of lightning striking a car or truck. How common is this? I know lightning is a huge amount of energy, and the voltage is high enough to ionize the air, but does it really travel through the rubber tires? Or does it arc to the ground? I wonder if steel belts make a difference?
I have seen a few online videos showing tires blowing out on moving vehicles from a lightning hit. I don’t think steel belts have anything to do with it.
Here is video of a 737 on the ground taking a lightning strike. In the still frame at the end of the video, one can clearly see the the lightning jumping between the landing gear and the ground. An airplane tire is pretty conventional with rubber and non metallic fiber cords. the wheel is metal alloy mounted on steel landing gear. The airplane in this case is an aluminum tube. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lightning-strikes-delta-boeing-737-plane-atlanta-airport-video-1516344
So, sitting in my gel-coated fiberglass trailer is not the best place to be during a lightning storm? Best to move to the tow vehicle?
Exactly!
Interesting. Wouldn't the relative lack of metal on the trailer's surface make a strike less likely? Are rubber-coated antennas less susceptible to strikes? I wonder if the carbon black used in tire rubber is a good conductor, or at least provides a good path to ground for lightning.
Interesting. I've only seen one or two videos of lightning striking a car or truck. How common is this? I know lightning is a huge amount of energy, and the voltage is high enough to ionize the air, but does it really travel through the rubber tires? Or does it arc to the ground? I wonder if steel belts make a difference?
I have seen a few online videos showing tires blowing out on moving vehicles from a lightning hit. I don’t think steel belts have anything to do with it.
And it’s a real issue with heavy earth moving equipment hit by lightning while parked on a construction site. The huge pressure spike from superheated air can cause the tires to explode later. https://roadsandbridges.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/BKT%20Lightning%20Strike%20White%20Paper.pdf