Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

It safe for aeroplanes for the same reason that its safe to be hit by lightening in cars. The electricity is conducted round the outside of the cavity you and all the instrumentation/machinery sits in and out the other side in an effect called the Faraday cage (named after the first bloke who deliberately tried to electrocute himself, jackass eat your heart out :eek: ). There is no 'potential difference' between the plane and the air around it.

It makes me chuckle when people say cars are safe because of the rubber tires acting as an insulator - the lightening has just just 500m, a wee bit of rubber isn't going to do much!!

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

but I've watched War of the Worlds!!!! I've seen an aeroplane crash due to the multiple lightening strikes :D oh and BTW, yes the film did freak me out to the extent that I've planned my emergency bunker, with a generator and enough food for 72 hrs!

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

I have a stewardess friend who works for BA and she has encountered a few electrical storms during flights over Europe and she tells me it's one of the most frightening experiences you will ever go through ...

"It feels like the aircraft is going to break in half"

Her words ...

:eek:

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

You should trying watching the aircraft crash scene in "War Of The Worlds" WHILST you are on a plane. I did. Cathay have a sick sense of humour.

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

Christ :scared: . That's terrible. I would be very uncomfortable watching that. I bet there were a few nervous people!

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

Planes try to avoid electrical storms for numerous reasons, not least because it scares the beyjeezus out of the passengers, but also because of the unpredictable updrafts, the possibility of damages from the lightening strikes, poor visibility, being literally blown of-course etc..

In fact, in many countries Airline regulations, it is not allowed to intentionally fly into a storm. You would probably survive, but your trousers wouldn't :p

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

was that quickly followed by the whole series of 'Lost'??? :D

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

Oddly enough, I did think about the crash scene in that programme also, whilst en-route. It would have been just our luck that something similar would've happened to us and we ended up stranded on the Isle of Wight.

Did anyone see the crash-investigation programme that was on last night, about the DHL and Russian airliner (full of Russian children) collision over Swittzerland? That would put most people off flying forever. Apparently, the DHL tail cut the Russian airliner in half at 35,000 feet. A terrible tragedy by all accounts.

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

OMG! Don't put us lot on a plane together :eek:

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

Incidentally, why did you come back from Australia? I'm just curious?

Cheers.

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

long story. we went out on a temp visa, as told to by company I was employed by. Basically the recruitment consultant was a shark. The job I was expecting never existed and the place they were going to place me was crap! We complained to the MD of the company who gave me two options 1) stay in aus and take job that they could get for me and apply for PR 2) return to UK, get PR, sell house, return and get any job I wanted!

we discussed it for about 3 mths and decided option 2 was the realistic one, as at some point one of us would have to return to the Uk to sell the house and tie up loose ends!

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

Oh right, so you are in the process of trying to return now then I take it? Have you got your PR yet?

The reason I was curious is that we are now almost at the "sell-house and go" stage and my wife is very confused about staying or going and I am just seeking re-assurance in other people's personal experiences.

I think building up a consensus-based informed opinion about going for good is the best way to tackle any doubts or concerns (more for my better-half than my good-self).

Thanks for the info.

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

we've got PR now, hence being anxious about selling house as we have to validate by May 06.

I can understand how your wife feels. You won't actually appreciate the UK and the kind of lifestyle you have here until you've left! The UK is a fab place (depending on where you live). We like where we live, we love our jobs, the schools are great, shopping and the quality of things here, the NHS is controlled and free and the kids are happy. We can definately see the kids having a good future here. In fact, there's not much about the UK we dislike!

Regarding aus, there are lots of things we like, and dislike. Some things will just shock you! You have to make up your own mind when you get there (well after the rose tinted specs have fallen off). We've worked out that we'll probably be the same wealth wise (or lack of it). The main difference here is that our medications are free for the kids, whereas there its going to cost us a fortune!

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

We got struck once not long after take off from Tunisia!!
It was as if all the light bulbs on the plane had exploded all at once :eek: Half the plane screamed the other half had no idea what was going on. Because all planes have lightening conducters so it cant earth there was no problem apart from the trouser department. If you are unlucky enough to get struck on take off 100feet approx or below KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE!!! :eek:

Re: Aeroplanes and storms
 

The Principle of Faraday's Cage.

(You're surrounded by metal which is more conductive so the current flows round the fuselage - now, if the planes sides were made of plastic..... :eek: )