COMPUTATIONAL ELECTROMAGNETIC MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF FUEL TANK LIGHTNING CURRENTS FOR A TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT

A full scale aircraft lightning test campaign was conducted to support compliance with AWM 525.981 through validation of computational electromagnetic (CEM) models. The aircraft is injected with different lighting current attachment scenarios while measurements of currents, voltages and magnetic fields focused in the composite wing area. The high fidelity aircraft model has been resolved with EMA3D software. It includes accurate structural features, fasteners, wiring and systems tubing. The overall comparison between the full scale test results and the simulation results is very good both for the shape and the amplitude of the waveforms.