Application of numerical analysis to the electromagnetic effects validation of aircraft

The authors present the capabilities of the time-domain three-dimensional finite difference method EMA3D for the solution of Maxwell´s equations. They describe the method and then give six examples of comparison of numerical results with test data. The examples are NASA F-106B in-flight natural lightning external response, USAF/FAA CV-580 in-flight natural lightning external response, NASA F-106B in-flight natural lightning internal cable response, NASA F-106B self-consistent nonlinear triggered lightning response, SAAB JAS39 lightning response of carbon fiber wing box, and SAAB JAS39 lightning validation test. The EMA3D method has been shown to be able to solve a wide variety of problems involving complex geometries, complex sources, and complex materials