Patent ID: 7554785

Claim:
Apparatus for protecting a composite-body aircraft against damage from lightning strikes, comprising: an aircraft body including a plurality of composite panels; a first plurality of electrically conductive splice plates extending along junctions between adjacent ones of the composite panels at respective edges of the adjacent composite panels, the first plurality of electrically conductive splice plates abutting exterior surfaces of the composite panels; a second plurality of electrically conductive splice plates extending along the junctions between adjacent ones of the composite panels at respective edges of the adjacent composite panels, the second plurality of electrically conductive splice plates abutting interior surfaces of the composite panels; a plurality of electrically conductive straps; and a plurality of electrically conductive fasteners; wherein the straps and the fasteners mechanically and electrically couple adjacent ends of the splice plates to one another such that the splice plates form a continuous, electrically conductive grid about the aircraft body.