The dangers of more powerful positive lightning were not understood until the destruction of a glider in 1999.[10] It has since been suggested that positive lightning might have caused the crash of Pan Am Flight 214 in 1963. At that time, aircraft were not designed to withstand such strikes because their existence was unknown. The 1985 standard in force in the US at the time of the glider crash, Advisory Circular AC 20-53A,[10] was replaced by Advisory Circular AC 20-53B in 2006.[11] However, it is unclear whether adequate protection against positive lightning was incorporated
The effects of typical lightning on traditional metal-covered aircraft are well understood and serious damage from a lightning strike on an airplane is rare. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner of which the exterior is carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer received no damage from a lightning strike during testing