Static Wicks On Aircraft

Static Wicks On Aircraft - EVER been staring out the plane window and noticed those little metal rods sticking out of the back of the wings? They are called static wicks, or static dischargers, and they actually have a very important function.

DG has been manufacturing Electrostatic Protection products longer than any other company and is recognized as the primary supplier of quality Static Dischargers. DG's Dischargers range from the original 1940s DG patented "wicks" used on such vintage aircraft as the DC-3, to the Null Field Ortho-Decoupled Discharger to the Supersonic Discharger.

Static Wicks On Aircraft

DG also designs and manufactures: • Micropoint Dischargers • Carbonpoint Dischargers • The newly developed Composite Dischargers "The static dischargers, or static wicks, provide a path for the excess electrons to flow back into the atmosphere, rather than being held up in the air frame.

Keep Your Eyes Open For St Elmo’s Fire

This prevents static build up. The end of the wicks looks very much like a brush and is of very low resistance to make it easier for the electrons to escape.” Yesterday as we were beginning our descent into Atlanta on a stormy night we saw what was depicted on Star Trek Next Gen when they are going at low warp speed.

It was amazing. This was out the passenger window first row of seats on a 737. Anyone know what that is called? Most of the aircraft skin is bonded (connected) to the static discharge wicks with the exception of the windshields.

When we fly through high altitude ice crystals (cirrus clouds), heavy rain, or snow, the static discharge wicks don't dissipate the precipitation static that builds up on the windshields. The precipitation static eventually discharges on its own, providing a fascinating web-like display a few inches in front of us.

We were flying through Wisconsin from Minneapolis to Fort Wayne International back in September on a stormy summer evening through a very energetic thunderstorm with lots of lightning. I saw blue discharges like your pictures in the cockpit but they were smaller and were dancing back and forth on the wing.

Can you tell me what I might have witnessed? I've seen St. Elmo's Fire only twice in over 30 years of airline flying. During the most impressive display, it appeared as a beam of bright blue light emanating from the nose of a DC-8.

When I saw it, I first thought we had a landing light turned on. Unfortunately, as a passenger, you probably won't see static discharges. I've never seen or heard of them happening on side windows. If you are flying on a stormy night, however, you might catch a glimpse of St.

Elmo's Fire on a wingtip similar to the photo above. If you see it, be sure to take a photo. It's a rare phenomenon and I'd love to see another picture of it! Although I'm an avid fan of Star Trek - Next Generation, I don't know what you are describing.

If you can provide a picture of the actual occurrence or a picture of what "Low warp speed" looks like, I might be able to figure out what you were seeing. St. Elmo's fire is a form of plasma that can occasionally be seen emanating from roof peaks, towers, spires, and other pointed objects in the vicinity of thunderstorms.

The phenomenon is often seen prior to a lightning strike. If you see it, get indoors! "When an aircraft is in flight it is continuously rubbing against the atmosphere. This rubbing causes static charge to build up in the air frame.

The excess electrons tend to concentrate themselves in thin trailing edges of the aircraft like the ends of the ailerons, rudders, elevators, flaps, etc," Anas Maaz wrote. If it looked similar to the windshield static discharge pictures, than it was likely static discharge off the wings.

Since you mention you were near thunderstorms, it might have been actual St. Elmo's Fire. I'd love to see a photo if you took one! On aircraft, St. Elmo's Fire appears as a bluish glow or flame emanating from an aircraft wingtip or nose.

The phenomenon is rare on aircraft; most pilots have probably not seen true St. Elmo's Fire. St. Elmo's can appear in heavily charged air in the vicinity of a thunderstorm and is harmless to aircraft. On your next flight, while you sit back, relax and enjoy reading SkyMall, there is a good chance your flight crew is enjoying their own, shocking light show.

Pilots see static discharges dancing on our windshields fairly often. As a passenger, you might be surprised or even concerned at the display. It can be very impressive, but it's completely harmless. Take a closer look at one of the coolest light shows that pilots experience on the flight deck…

Documented sightings go back to ancient Greece. Early sailors saw St. Elmo's fire glowing around the tips of their ship masts when near storms. They named the glow after St. Erasmus of Formia, the patron saint of sailors.

The salty sailors, not known for their linguistic skills, mispronounced the Saint's name as Elmo. "The problem with the static build up is that if the charge is not constant in different parts of the aircraft, there is a huge chance of a spark formation.

Sparks can cause a fire. The static can also cause interference in the aircraft radios. Although not nearly as impressive as seeing it in person, here are two video clips to give you an idea of ​​what the discharges look like.

The first is on a Boeing 737 windshield. The phenomenon begins at 2:20. It's interesting to note that these videos are incorrectly titled as St. Elmo's Fire (more on that later). As an aircraft flies through the sky, air and precipitation rub against the aircraft's skin causing a buildup of static electricity.

The same thing happens when you rub a balloon on your hair. When this electrical charge is strong enough, it can cause static on aircraft radios, interfering with communications. In typical conditions, the charge is continuously dissipated by small, pointed static discharge wicks mounted to the trailing edges of the wings and tail.

You've seen or heard static discharges around your house. In the winter, when you take a blanket out of the dryer, you can hear the static electricity snap and crackle. If you turn off the lights and give the blanket a shake, harmless sparks can be seen as the excess static discharges.

This is the same stuff we see on our windshields.

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