The interaction of lightning with an aircraft induces voltages and currents in the onboard wire harnesses, which can cause critical electronic equipment damage or malfunction, thus compromising the flight safety. The lightning interaction with an aircraft made largely of composite materials, like Boeing 787 and Airbus 380, is a subject of strong interest to the aeronautical industry. The computational tool "Virtual Aircraft Electromagnetic Lightning Indirect Effect Evaluation" (VAM-LIFE) was developed for the complete analysis of the electromagnetic fields inside and outside a medium-sized aircraft struck by lightning, and for the evaluation of the indirect lightning effects induced in the aircraft wiring system. The tool VAM-LIFE was used to obtain the certification by the Italian Aeronautic Authority of the C-27J aircraft of Alenia Aeronautica for indirect effects of lightning. This paper reviews the main features of the tool and presents new computational results of specific interest for the certification process of the C-27J aircraft. Moreover, this paper discusses the relevant aspects related to the modeling and simulation of innovative advanced composite materials with improved protection performance against a lightening electromagnetic pulse stroke.

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The accumulation of electrostatic charge, generating during flight on the outer surfaces of aircraft and inside aircraft piping systems, cannot be considered as an immediate danger for flight safety, but it has to be seriously prevented to avoid upset in flight communications and risks of explosion in fuel areas or during refueling operations. An overview of the methods adopted in aircraft industry to eliminate or reduce the electrostatic charge accumulation on insulating surfaces is presented: the most used techniques consist in applying coatings containing metal particles, “thermal spraying” metallic powders, or wires on nonconductive materials. The use of lightning protections, such as metallic mesh and expanded metal foil, on nonconductive composites also limits the static charge buildup, but it is foreseeable that, in the near future, nanocomposites will replace traditional lightning and shielding protection because of the wide range of possible electrical charging quantity and types. Another significant issue in aircraft life is the possible electrostatic charge accumulation during refueling operations: while the tires will discharge static electricity, because of the presence of carbon black within the rubber matrix, they are not relied on to earth the airframe; therefore, when buildup of static electricity is of concern, it is always important to use mechanical means to ground the aircraft. Lastly, the static charge control methods for electrostatic‐discharge‐sensitive (ESDS) equipment handling are introduced; in particular, instructions to avoid potential electrostatic charge accumulation during production and assembling, which could be a hazard to personnel and can damage equipment, are listed.