A cowling assembly for a vehicle includes a generally external surface having secured thereto or adjacent thereto, an elongate lightning protection strip member. The lightning protection strip member includes a lightning diverter strip connected to a lightning conductor strip. The lightning diverter strip at least when subjected to high electric field, enabling an ionized channel to be established along the diverter strip to divert the lightning along the lightning diverter strip to the lightning conductor strip. The lightning conductor strip conducts the lightning from the lightning diverter strip to an earth of the vehicle.