Seeing the so-called "St. Elmo's fire" for the first time is certainly a bit scary

😱.

This glow, visible on the cockpit windows, is the result of a corona discharge, which occurs under conditions of high electrical tension, such as during thunderstorms, causing ionization of the air around the aircraft's body.

It looks impressive, but pilots know that this phenomenon often occurs when flying near storm cells and does not pose a danger.

Historically, St. Elmo's fire was known to sailors who saw it on the masts of their ships during storms. The phenomenon is named after Saint Erasmus (Elmo), the patron saint of sailors and protector in bad weather.

Interestingly, sailors considered this phenomenon a good omen 😇.

video: pilotteixeira

Beautiful airplanes ✈️