I’ve haven’t been able to find any other reference to this “lightning deflector” online other than in the article you linked. The statement you quoted orginally from the article was spoken by a Mark Miller who apparently is an “aviation expert” for The Discover Channel. Well that title and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee. It seems Mr. Miller was blowing a bit of smoke there.

http://www.lightningtech.com/d~ta/faq1.html

How is an aircraft protected from lightning?

Most aircraft skins are made primarily of aluminum, which is a very good conductor of electricity. By making sure that there are no gaps in this conductive path, the engineer can assure that most of the lightning current will remain on the exterior skin of the aircraft. Some modern aircraft are made of advanced composite materials, which by themselves are significantly less conductive than aluminum. In this case, the composites are made with an embedded layer of conductive fibers or screens designed to carry lightning currents. These designs are thoroughly tested before they are incorporated in an aircraft.

Modern passenger jets have miles of wires and dozens of computers and other instruments that control everything from the engines to the passengers’ music headsets. These computers, like all computers, are sometimes susceptible to upset from power surges. So, in addition to the design of the exterior of the aircraft, the lightning protection engineer must assure that no damaging surges or transients can be induced into the sensitive equipment inside of the aircraft. Lightning traveling on the exterior skin of an aircraft has the potential to induce transients into wires or equipment beneath the skin. These transients are called lightning indirect effects. Problems caused by indirect effects in cables and equipment are averted by careful shielding, grounding and the application of surge suppression devices when necessary. Every circuit and piece of equipment that is critical or essential to the safe flight and landing of an aircraft must be verified by the manufacturers to be protected against lightning in accordance with regulations of the FAA or a similar authority in the country of the aircraft’s origin.

The other main area of concern is the fuel system, where even a tiny spark could be disastrous. Therefore, extreme precautions are taken to assure that lightning currents cannot cause sparks in any portion of an aircraft’s fuel system. The aircraft skin around the fuel tanks must be thick enough to withstand a burn through. All the structural joints and fasteners must be tightly designed to prevent sparks as lightning current passes from one section to another. Access doors, fuel filler caps and any vents must be designed and tested to withstand lightning. All the pipes and fuel lines that carry fuel to the engines, and the engines themselves, must be verified to be protected against lightning. In addition, new fuels that produce less explosive vapors are now widely used.

Radomes are the nose cones of aircraft that contain radar and other flight instruments. The radome is an area of special concern for lightning protection engineers. In order to function, radar cannot be contained within a conductive enclosure. Protection is afforded by the application of lightning diverter strips along the outer surface of the radome. These strips can be solid metal bars or a series of closely spaced buttons of conductive material affixed to a plastic strip that is bonded adhesively to the radome. These strips are sized and spaced carefully according to simulated lightning attachment tests, while at the same time not significantly interfering with the radar. In many ways, diverter strips function like a lightning rod on a building.

I highlighted a reference to the strips attached to radomes. Not quite what Mr. Miller was referring as these are there to route the lighting along the surface of the non-conductive radome surface to the metal aircraft skin.

This rumor comes up every year. CO is barely squeaking by and UA is still burning money for heat. I don’t think either are in a position to think about merging. Perhaps before 2001 things would have been a lot more favorable.

I’ve heard of winglets being blown off as well as all but one of the elevator cables being cut by a single lightning strike. Definately something you want to avoid.

One night a few years ago we had some light rain moving through the area. None of which was associated with particularly large CB clouds. For what ever reason the conditions were right and lightning was rampent. We had 6 airplanes struck by lightning on approach within about 20 minutes. The particular airplane we were waiting one was one of them. The lightning entered the FO’s pitot tube and exited the captains side of the elevator. It punched a 2 inch hole in the control surface as it exited. Safe to say we didn’t take that airplane out that night.

Unless you’re a product of my old school system. In that case we misspell habitually. 😉