AMSTERDAM, Nov 15: If you suffer a fear of flying, look away now. Because this is the dramatic moment a commercial carrier suffers a direct lightning hit - just moments after launching into the skies.  

Footage shows the commercial carrier being struck mid-air while carrying countless passengers from Amsterdam's Schipol Airport. 

Thankfully, the KLM aircraft - a Boeing 777 - successfully continued its journey, despite the electrically-charged weather system.

In fact, the plane is said to have landed on-time at Lima airport some 12 hours and 40 minutes later. 

The footage, which was sourced by Valk Aviation, was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday and amassed an impressive 140,000 views in just one day.

Naturally, many of the commentators were impressed with the airplane's intelligent design, which allows it to withstand such strikes.

Fortunately, most Boeing planes have a composite fuselage rather than metal, and it is embedded conducting material is designed to absorb a lightning strike.

Although it may sound a terrifying prospect, commercial aircraft around the world are bombarded with bolts of lightning every single day.

According to experts, in an average year, any given airliner can expect to be struck at least once on its travels. 

Typically, those on boards often fail to notice that the plane has been hit at all, or experience nothing more than a quick flash. 

The worst air tragedy related to a lightning strike occurred in the US state of Maryland in December 1963.

Eighty-one people died after a bolt of lightning ignited fuel vapors and caused an explosion that brought down a Boeing 707-121 operated by Pan Am. 

 
• notsofriendly
 
• skies