Posted for "Bryan Burr" <bjburr@mwheli.com>:

 What you have to realize is that the Lancair ES that had the explosion
 problem also was parked on top of a blue plastic tarp.  There was
 absolutely no contact with the ground and the tarp acted as an
 additional insulator.  While there are still risks associated with
 static creating activities if you make efforts to create a grounding
 event such as touching the airplane, connecting the airplane to a ground
 when fueling, wiping it with a damp rag frequently when waxing, buffing,
 polishing, the risk is minimized.  Also, the explosive event happened by
 blowing the wing off using an air nozzle over an open fuel filler inlet.
 And the tank had fuel or fuel vapors escaping.  All of the factors lead
 up to the explosive event.  Blue tarp, long period of sanding, blowing
 off the wing using an air nozzle, open fuel port, no frequent attempt to
 discharge the static.
 
 During the painting of my airplane (I had flown 250 hours so fuel had
 been introduced to the system) I made absolutely sure the painter
 touched the wings frequently.  I made sure he hosed down the floor and
 used water and wet sanded during the sanding process.  I made sure
 during polishing that he did not go for long periods of using an
 electric polisher/buffer.  We always had safety wire or something
 touching the ground and the airplane surface he was working on.
 
 During fueling I make sure the grounding cable is attached either to the
 exhaust or to the tow bar plate and I also make sure that the refueling
 nozzle is contacting the metal ring that seats the fuel cap.  Refueling
 trucks that use certified aircraft refueling hose has a ground wire
 embedded in the rubber hose that connects to the nozzle..  By touching
 the nozzle to the fuel cap seating ring another grounding is being made
 in addition to the regular static grounding cable.
 
 Remember that in non carbon fiber airplanes (IE Lancair normal ES) there
 is no conductivity.  E glass does not conduct.  So there is no way to
 fully discharge static.  That is why static wicks don't work on an ES.
 They only discharge the static created by the wick itself.  They do
 nothing for the wing surfaces.  Perhaps there is another topic of
 discussion for using metal based primer during painting and then
 installing static wicks.
 
 You may say that the rubber tires touching the ground are also an
 insulator.  This is true.  When I asked the same question the answer was
 that there is enough dirt, grime, moisture etc. on the tires that static
 is discharged.  This is also why using a grounding cable when refueling
 is necessary.  I also prop my tow bar against the wing being refueled as
 added measure of safety.
 
 Man what a Pandora's box this static thing is in non-carbon plastic
 airplanes!
 
 Bryan
 N132BB
 

[Jim Frantz put it best a long time ago... our glass airplanes are flying di-electrics.   Think capacitor with wings <g>.   <marv>    ]