Assessment of Aircraft Coating Resistance to Lighting Strikes and Long-Term Environmental Impact

Abstract

During an aircraft’s flight through the atmosphere, the aircraft structure interacts with the surrounding environment. One of the potential hazards that can occur is a lightning strike to the structure covering. Subsequent damage to the aircraft covering may cause safety risks, so it must be removed. This paper describes a method of producing an electrical discharge that simulates the effect of lightning on metallic and non-metallic types of aircraft coverings upon which various types of paint coatings are applied. The electrical discharge hits the coating samples and, based on the material and type of paint used, causes damage. The coatings were later tested in a salt chamber according to STN ISO 9227:2017, and were photodocumented at various time intervals and subsequently analysed. The salt chamber test exposes the material to adverse conditions, which, in relation to the damaged coating, cause corrosion of the material, which depends on the extent of the damage and the type of material. The paper concludes that metallic aircraft coating samples allow less damage to aircraft coverings after a lightning strike, which is linked with less required maintenance associated with financial and time costs.