[Abathar]

I wonder how the plane will take a lighting strike. Aluminum skinned planes do ok, I wonder if this non-conductive skin will tend to splinter and crack if hit with all that energy.

[Moonman62]

I wonder how the plane will take a lighting strike. Aluminum skinned planes do ok, I wonder if this non-conductive skin will tend to splinter and crack if hit with all that energy.

They've accounted for that and Boeing has a lightning lab for testing.

[kylaka]

Early composite airplanes like the Beech Starship had a layer of lightweight conductive material imbedded into the composite. It was similar to honeycombed aluminum foil. Lightning strikes left a hole no larger than a quarter, and a few scorch marks. Lightning strikes were easily repaired and basically harmless. I imagine the 787 will use something similar.

[ExcursionGuy84]

Implanted in the Carbon-Fiber is a very thin mesh layer of copper(?) that would conduct away ant electrical discharge from any contact points.

[Freeport]

Since the composites are inherently non-conductive, lightning damage prevention systems are incorporated into them... i.e. They run wire in the matrix during the fabrication process. For design details you'd have to chat with the Boeing designers... Good luck... ;-)