St. Elmo's Fire

[wxman13]

People ask about this every once in a while, and I just saw this picture on Airliners.net that *appears* to be of St. Elmo's Fire (definitely not the movie):

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/858785/M/

Seeing as I haven't seen it myself, maybe this is something else, but it sure sounds like it. Pretty cool, I'd say.

 

[realityman]

That is St. Elmo's fire. It's pretty cools to actually see it on your windscreen, although the first time I saw it, it kinda freaked me out a little. Haven't seen it in years though. I don't know if the Citation X has some kind of treatment that would prevent that kind of electrical buildup on the windscreen, but oh well..........

 

[pilotviolin]

We see this about a dozen times a year in our Encore. Most the time in the winter coming through cold fronts.

 

[integrale]

You think thats cool try staring all at the northern lights all night during an Atlantic crossing, you'll swear you dropped acid before takeoff.

 

[User546]

Having not ever experienced St Elmo's Fire before, what exactly are "ideal" conditions for its formation? Also, how long does it typically last?

Also I've heard before that if you put your finger up the windshield while its present, the electricity will follow your finger as you move it across the windshielf. Kind of like one of those cheap glass electrical globes at novelty stores. Fact or fiction?

 

[EatSleepFly]

Also I've heard before that if you put your finger up the windshield while its present, the electricity will follow your finger as you move it across the windshielf. Kind of like one of those cheap glass electrical globes at novelty stores. Fact or fiction?

It does. I don't know exactly what conditions are necessary for it to form, but I've gotten it a few times recently. It's entertaining.

It's cool to see it coming off the prop too (Caravan)...looks almost like a purple ring of fire. I've had little buildups of it on the pitot tubes, and for some reason the wingtip as well.

I don't know if it's possible, but I'll try snapping a pic of it next time.

 

[realityman]

The only times I've seen it form have been when I was in some form of precip. Rain and snow. The finger-following effect does work quite well.

And yes, the northern lights are absolutely spectacular to watch! I can't think of any other light shows that top that one. Although one night on my way from the west coast to somewhere in Missouri, I recall a massive line of thunderstorms off my left side. As it was late at night, the lightning in the clouds was really amazing to watch. And when we looked out the right side of the plane, we were treated to an amazing view of a total lunar eclipse going on simultaneously.

These are some of the many things that make it all worthwhile!

 

[Pilot877]

I see it a lot on the DC-10, just like the pic on airliners.net. Pretty cool.

 

[BD King]

Oh yeah. The first time was in an Apache, at night, and it was running through the radio stack. Holy cow. After that I did not give it much thought until one cold night over the Atlantic in an A-100. Both props were a ring of fire and there was a stream of fire leaping from the nose over the windscreen.

The grids in the wind screens were alive. I heard a rip. A spilt. Not a good sound. Pulled out the flashlight and checked the right windscreen.
Zap there goes another crack. Zap there goes another crack. And another and another.

I am about 50 knots off shore, and inform center that I am leaving 16 grand for whatever and want direct to where ever.

Anyway, I went to Atlantic City, knowing darn well that if the windscreen let go that there was no way in hell that the airplane would maintain altitude. Of couse I had slowed the airplane down, and when I contacted approach, the first thing that they wanted was for me to keep the speed up for traffic. Huh?

Although I had refused it, they rolled the equipment. Was too bad that one of my passengers missed all of the flashing lights, because he had assumed the fetal position in the baggage compartment with his top-coat over his head.


www.bdkingpress.com

 

[FlyChicaga]

I saw it once, on the SF340. Haven't seen it yet in the ERJ. It was one of the more facinating things I've seen. I just kept looking at it, saying "wow, how many people see this?" Similar feeling with the Aurora Borealis like someone mentioned above.

BTW, BDKing: Got the books, and I'm halfway through "The Left Seat" already. Great book! I see so much of myself in McKay.

 

[BD King]

I saw it once, on the SF340. Haven't seen it yet in the ERJ. It was one of the more facinating things I've seen. I just kept looking at it, saying "wow, how many people see this?" Similar feeling with the Aurora Borealis like someone mentioned above.

BTW, BDKing: Got the books, and I'm halfway through "The Left Seat" already. Great book! I see so much of myself in McKay.

Thanks for the comment. I am amazed how few of the members have taken advantage of these GREAT BOOKS, especially that of THE LEFT SEAT. Most of the guys and girls are in the airline business or wish to be, and this book contains not only history, but the lore and flavor of aviation. Thank you for the kind words.


www.bdkingpress.com

 

[FlyChicaga]

Do you have more background on the author? Sorry for the thread hijack to the original poster. Maybe this needs a thread of it's own.

 

[AutoCars Armed]

Fly Chicaga: what did it look like in the Saab. I am currently flying one and have yet to experience it the Saab.

I have seen it in the Emb 110 (bandit) looks just like the pic do of the airbus. I have also seen it in the C310 and that is really sweet. Static on the windscreen, redish purple on the props and tip tanks.

 

[BD King]

Do you have more background on the author? Sorry for the thread hijack to the original poster. Maybe this needs a thread of it's own.

I assume that you are referring to Robert Serling. I will keep this short, as we would be covering a 45 year time period of aviation writing. He has written mostly about airline history and the people involved with it. We will be republishing, with modifications, the "informal" history of Eastern Airlines yet this year.

Serling is 87 years young and is currently writing the history of Alaska Airlines, which will come out in 2007.

The LEFT SEAT was a serious influence in 1965, to the establishment of cockpit proceedures and cooperation of ALPA and the, now, NTSB into accident investigations.

If the name Serling rings a bell, it may be because of his brother, Rod. Rod like in "The Twilight Zone".

Stories? God he has tons. For the forum I will give a very short story.......C.R. Smith (American Airlines) hated Eddie Rickenbacker (Eastern Airlines). Rickenbacker was referred to as Captain Eddie.

At any rate, there was a golf tournemet for charity, and Smith and the two other guys were waiting for the fourth person. Getting impatient, Smith asked the official who was the fourth person. He said, "Captain Eddie".

Smith threw down his clubs and walked off saying '"If I'm going to play with a prick, I will play with my own!"

www.bdkingpress.com

 

[FlyChicaga]

Fly Chicaga: what did it look like in the Saab. I am currently flying one and have yet to experience it the Saab.

I'd say blue-purple streaks of lightning. About the color of "The Hangar" logo at the top left, with some whitish color. Similar to regular lightning, only darker, and right there on the window. The first flash I thought was in the distance, and I turned on the WX radar. Then we noticed it was right there on the windscreen.

It was funny, because neither of us had seen it before, and obviously thought it was very interesting. So we called up our FA, and showed her. She goes, "Cool." then leaves. Obviously not as special to her as it was to us!

BDKing, thanks for the response. I'm off to go keep reading.