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St. Almos Fire.

We have often traveled with our sons who each fly airliners for well known companies. Their employers treat them and their family and parents well with discounted fares. There is a condition and that is these seats are available only when they are not taken by fare paying passengers. We book business because it is more comfortable in flights more than three hours and if the aeroplane is heavily booked there is a fair chance of getting either business or economy class. If we are downgraded to economy the service is not quite as good and that is of no concern to us. However we do seem to get special treatment with the menu, meals and nibbles. Champaign is never ending along with such things as blue vein cheese and other delights. Other economy passengers look with curiosity and envy and some with a bit of resentment and wonder why us and not them. They are not to know our son is captain of this plane but cabin staff seem to know.
I taught my sons to fly in our family Cessna 180. Then I watched their careers develop to the airline starting as junior pilot then to captain. I used to sit up front with them in that centre seat known as the jump seat. I’d give them advice such as lift your wing son or look before you cross the runway son. The only cross they’d get is get cross with their dad. Well the pleasure of having a ride up front was removed due security. Our second son flew us from Hong Kong to Moscow (and return to Melbourne). He said it was necessary to divert 115 miles off track due weather. He had more than an hour of St Almo’s fire. What is that many may ask, well let me tell you as best I can for I have never seen it in a cropduster. Some of the barn readers are airline pilots and may well correct me and that’s okay.
Positive irons in the atmosphere discharge on contact with metal components on high speed aeroplanes. This discharge is spectacular. This is difficult for me to describe but the accompanying pictures will make it clear. My wife asked if he made a broadcast to warn other pilots and he said they would fly to the area where it is present for their enjoyment. It is harmless but looks spectacular. It would no doubt alarm passengers if they saw it. In sons case on this night it was only on the nose cone and windscreen. Do look it up on the internet.
I see Wikipedia say it is also a phenomena on sailing ships.