Video got me fired up - What to fly?

[Crumpp]

You are correct in that static electricity is an issue for any aircraft when refueling. It generally occurs between the tank and fuel nozzle....

A drop tank is part of the aircraft's static charge and a mechanism must be introduced to discharge it.

A lineman sticking a fuel nozzle to an ungrounded aircraft will cause a static discharge.

The question becomes what is going to cause the static discharge in our drop tank?

http://www.experimentalaircraft.info...efueling-1.php

[Squawk]

Good link Crumpp.

However I think this may still leave out a possibility.

Originally Posted by Crumpp

A drop tank is part of the aircraft's static charge and a mechanism must be introduced to discharge it.

I am unfamiliar with the drop tank in question's construction, and as such can not offer more than a hypothetical guess.

It was stated that the early tanks were constructed mostly out of wood.

Should there 'not' be an adequate grounding system between the aircraft and the tank, It could be 'possible' that due to woods poor conductive properties, that the aircraft may be isolated from the static charge inside the drop tank, created by the fuel sloshing around. (as opposed to the general static charge both would acquire from moving through the air)

Again this is theoretical, and in all likely hood was thought of by the designers at the time and proper 'bonding' was conducted. Should that system become faulty..... who knows?