Sound knowledge of lightning parameters is available in international literature. Our results uncover the complexities of lightning strike hazard impact patterns to NAS facilities, identifying five distinct typologies with climatological signatures critical to creating better hazard mitigation strategies.Ĭurrently, lightning phenomenon, mechanisms, and impacts on lives and infrastructures have been satisfactorily decoded and studied.

To bridge this gap, we analyze nationwide lightning strike spatiotemporal data and FAA airport facility outage records from 2009 through 2020 and apply innovative pattern recognition methods to identify key characteristics of lightning strike hazards. Very little research has been done on examining the overall patterns and characteristics of such hazards to aviation from a geo-spatial standpoint. To date we found that most research on lightning-induced facility outages has focused on understanding the physical processes of lightning strike effects on aircraft and airport ramp operations. Although the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implements lightning protection practices and procedures to protect personnel, electronic equipment, and structures within the NAS, many lightning-induced outages still occur. Lightning strikes pose a severe threat to the United States (US) National Airspace System (NAS).

Runway lighting