A330 lightning strike inspection

On average, every commercial aircraft is struck by lightning once or twice a year. After the aircraft lands, an inspection must always be performed to assess the state of the aircraft prior to return to service. The Airbus A330 is no exception and here you will learn the ins and outs of lightning strike inspections performed on this aircraft type.

When first unveiled in 1992, the Airbus A330 stood out for being the largest twin-engine aircraft ever built until it got surpassed by the Boeing 777. The aircraft first entered service with Air Inter on March 12th, 1994.

How often is an Airbus A330 hit by lightning?

Over the years Airbus has delivered a total of 1,600 aircraft to major airlines all over the world. It is one of the most popular aircraft worldwide.

The Airbus A330 is struck once or twice a year by lightning and given the global fleet in the world, this results in 1,500 to 3,000 lightning strikes per year.

Picture of Airbus A330 flying over the ocean

Are there any incidents with an Airbus A330 caused by lightning strikes?

Picture of Sri Lankan Airbus A330 Lightning strike

Despite the frequency of lightning strikes, no major aircraft incidents have occurred for the Airbus A330.

In 2012, the press suggested that the Air France A330 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean due to a lightning strike. However, the final report of the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) made clear that the accident was related to different aircraft systems.

How many man-hours does it take to perform a lightning strike inspection on an Airbus A330?

After the aircraft is struck by lightning, the aircraft is grounded and thoroughly inspected for damage such as pits and burn marks by aircraft maintenance engineers to guarantee its airworthiness before the next flight. The inspection alone requires 3 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers and 12 hours to complete. The total man-hours for an Airbus A330 lightning strike inspection are 36 hours.

To assess the status of the aircraft, the aircraft maintenance engineers will move from station to station, from stringer to stringer, using additional equipment to inspect the top of the fuselage and the tail. The tail is 17 meters high and not easy to reach while the aircraft elevators and stabilizers are blocking the man lifter equipment. Often during the inspection, additional damage can be caused.

How does a drone fit in the aircraft lightning strike inspection process of an Airbus A330?

Picture of a Boeing 737 aircraft drone inspection

The use of drones for aircraft inspections brings game-changing results for the aviation industry and particularly Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) companies and organizations. All aspects of the inspection procedure, from drone flight to report generation, are automated, allowing the ground team to easily analyze and report the status of an aircraft.

In the event of a lightning strike, using a drone to perform aircraft inspection on the Airbus A330 can decrease the inspection time by 75%. A drone can speed up the entire process of the General Visual Inspection (GVI) during a lightning strike inspection, which can now be performed in minutes (60 minutes) instead of hours (12 hours). Our drone will safely fly around the aircraft and capture high-resolution pictures, allowing aircraft maintenance engineers to make a much faster damage assessment.