Which statement best describes static discharge in aircraft grounding and how it is controlled?

Which statement best describes static discharge in aircraft grounding and how it is controlled?

• A. Static discharge is the accumulation of static electricity; controlled by bonding/grounding and dissipative paths such as static wicks to the atmosphere.
• B. Static discharge refers to a loss of ground reference under certain conditions.
• C. Static discharge is the leakage of current through insulation.
• D. Static discharge occurs only during fuel handling.

Answer: (C)

Static discharge in aircraft grounding is about the buildup of electrostatic charges on the aircraft as it moves through air and interacts with weather, fuel, and other surfaces, and how these charges are safely removed. The proper control method is to keep the aircraft and related equipment at the same electrical potential by bonding to the ground, and to provide dissipative paths such as static discharge wicks that let charges escape gradually to the atmosphere. This reduces the risk of sparks or arcing during fueling and ground operations. Describing static discharge as leakage through insulation isn’t accurate for this context; leakage through insulation suggests a fault where current wanders through insulation, not a designed, controlled discharge path. And static buildup isn’t confined to fuel handling—it occurs in various conditions, both on the ground and in flight.

Static discharge in aircraft grounding is about the buildup of electrostatic charges on the aircraft as it moves through air and interacts with weather, fuel, and other surfaces, and how these charges are safely removed. The proper control method is to keep the aircraft and related equipment at the same electrical potential by bonding to the ground, and to provide dissipative paths such as static discharge wicks that let charges escape gradually to the atmosphere. This reduces the risk of sparks or arcing during fueling and ground operations.

Describing static discharge as leakage through insulation isn’t accurate for this context; leakage through insulation suggests a fault where current wanders through insulation, not a designed, controlled discharge path. And static buildup isn’t confined to fuel handling—it occurs in various conditions, both on the ground and in flight.