A method for determining whether a lightning strike has occurred on an aircraft, the method including the steps of: providing a current return network throughout the aircraft; providing a lightning strike detection circuit in inductive communication with the current return network by means of a magnetically permeable core, the lightning strike detection circuit including: a voltage controlled transistor; a resonant circuit, wherein the resonant circuit comprises an inductor and a first capacitor that is connected to the inductor; and an integrator circuit, the integrator circuit comprising a second capacitor, wherein resonant circuit is coupled to the integrator circuit by a rectifying diode; the method further comprising: directing a current spike from a lightning strike through the current return network, wherein the resonant circuit provides an alternating current based on a waveform of the lightning strike; charging the second capacitor to a threshold voltage level; providing the threshold voltage level across the transistor to change the transistor from a normal state to an activated state, wherein changing the transistor from a normal state to an activated state is based on the second capacitor being at the threshold voltage level; and determining the lightning strike by measuring the change. providing a current return network throughout the aircraft; providing a lightning strike detection circuit in inductive communication with the current return network by means of a magnetically permeable core, the lightning strike detection circuit including: a voltage controlled transistor; a resonant circuit, wherein the resonant circuit comprises an inductor and a first capacitor that is connected to the inductor; and an integrator circuit, the integrator circuit comprising a second capacitor, wherein resonant circuit is coupled to the integrator circuit by a rectifying diode; a voltage controlled transistor; a resonant circuit, wherein the resonant circuit comprises an inductor and a first capacitor that is connected to the inductor; and an integrator circuit, the integrator circuit comprising a second capacitor, wherein resonant circuit is coupled to the integrator circuit by a rectifying diode; the method further comprising: directing a current spike from a lightning strike through the current return network, wherein the resonant circuit provides an alternating current based on a waveform of the lightning strike; charging the second capacitor to a threshold voltage level; providing the threshold voltage level across the transistor to change the transistor from a normal state to an activated state, wherein changing the transistor from a normal state to an activated state is based on the second capacitor being at the threshold voltage level; and determining the lightning strike by measuring the change. directing a current spike from a lightning strike through the current return network, wherein the resonant circuit provides an alternating current based on a waveform of the lightning strike; charging the second capacitor to a threshold voltage level; providing the threshold voltage level across the transistor to change the transistor from a normal state to an activated state, wherein changing the transistor from a normal state to an activated state is based on the second capacitor being at the threshold voltage level; and determining the lightning strike by measuring the change.