VAM-LIFE: Virtual Aircraft ElectroMagnetic Lightning Indirect Effect Evaluation

The computational tool VAM-LIFE is developed for the complete analysis of the EM field distribution inside and outside lightning struck aircraft and the evaluation of the indirect effects induced in the onboard wiring system. The VAM-LIFE tool is composed by five computational blocks, which allow to merge: the procedure for the definition of the equivalent digital model of the aircraft; the finite-difference time-domain procedure for the calculation of the EM field distribution; the transmission-line nodal-analysis procedure in frequency-domain for the calculation of the induced effects. The most relevant aspects of VAM-LIFE are described and numerical applications are shown. The tool is approved by the Italian Aeronautic Authority for lightning indirect effect certification of the C-27J aircraft.