Avionics lightning protection design GUI

In order to build aircraft that are lighter and thus, use less fuel, aircraft manufacturers have begun using carbon composite material to fabricate the airframes instead of aluminum. An undesired effect of this change is the increase in severity of the indirect effects of lightning strikes to the airframe on the electrical equipment used on the aircraft (avionics). The more severe lightning transients require the interfaces of avionics to have more robust transient protection. More robust protection typically requires larger components. However, aircraft manufacturers and avionics vendors desire to keep the same form factor for existing avionics. As a result, additional lightning protection must be carefully designed so that the components with the minimum physical size are used.