What really happens when lightning strikes a plane — and the clever features that reduce the risk of damage

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  • Lighting may have struck the Russian Aeroflot plane that burst into flames on Sunday, killing 41 of the 78 passengers and crew aboard.
  • Over 7,000 US planes are struck by lightning every year.
  • Typically, lighting isn’t a concern during flight because airplanes are engineered to withstand a strike. 
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories. 

Although the idea of your next flight being struck by lightning may be terrifying, it’s actually pretty common. Every airplane is struck by lightning about once a year. The lights may flicker, but thanks to some smart engineering, the danger is low.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This video was originally published on November 23, 2016. 

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