Electrifying: The terrifying moment a jet was struck by lightning on approach to Heathrow

By SIMON NEVILLE

Highly charged: The Emirates Airbus 380 being hit by lightning


It was an awesome example of nature’s power on a stormy night in London.

As this flight came into Heathrow, a jagged bolt of lightning smashed into the roof, right above the pilots’ heads.

The powerful jolt of electricity passed right through the body of the Airbus A380 before shooting out to continue its journey to the ground.


Plane sailing: The Airbus on a routine take-off. Planes get hit several times a year - they act as a conductor


Amazingly, the Emirates service from Dubai landed safely minutes later, with not even a scratch and its 500 passengers and crew unscathed.

This incredible image was captured on a Saturday night last month by photographer Chris Dawson in south-west London.

‘I saw the storm clouds gathering and I thought the conditions would be perfect for a lightning strike,’ he said.





David Learmount, operations and safety editor of website Flightglobal, is not surprised the Airbus A380, the world’s biggest commercial plane, escaped damage.

‘Planes get hit by lightning several times a year,’ he said. ‘They act as a conductor. Getting a good strike like this can look very dramatic but it might not make any impact.

‘Manufacturers must make aircraft capable of withstanding a lightning strike and protecting those inside.

‘It means the plane’s body must contain metal so it can act as a conductor, allowing the electricity to pass through it.

‘If it didn’t have the metal, the plane could explode when hit.’


source: dailymail

Surf's up! Dogs show they can ride the waves too in a swell canine calendar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiV02LXhlWUendofvid

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By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Smug mug: July features Betsy the bulldog posing on the board


It's barking mad!

These pictures of surfing dogs show that pooches can ride the waves just as well as their human surfer counterparts.

Part of a 2011 Surf Dogs calendar, the photos feature mainly rescue animals, dubbed SurFURS by the photographers.


March's model is Stanley. He wore a blue life jacket as he rode to shore on a pink and white board


November's sur-fur is Toby, who eschewed the life jacket for a pink collar and lead



Barney caught a wave while standing up on his blue board and wound up as the calendar's cover boy


Husband and wife team Dina Demeo-Grover, 51, and†John Grover, 58, from San Diego, have taken their best shots to produce the novelty item, with proceeds going to various charities, including ones that support spaying and neutering pets.

It's the fourth annual Surf Dogs calendar and, they insist, the original.
Just in time for Christmas, the 2011 calendar is available for purchase on Amazon.com.


May features Dozer in a red life jacket. In the background is some of San Diego, including the famous red-roofed Hotel del Coronado


January features a not-too-happy looking pooch named Toby, wearing a orange life preserver as a wave comes up from behind


There is no missing February's pretty girl Nani in her neon life jacket as she rides the breaker


April features a slightly stricken looking dog named Kona, ears pinned and leaning back



For September, King glides in lying on his stomach as a frothy wave crashed behind him




source: dailymail [endtext]