From: "Dick C. Blumenstein" <rcblumenstein@imation.com>
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
cc: rcblumenstein@sysdyne.com
Message-ID: <862566AB.004A9749.00@mta1.imation.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 07:34:27 -0600
Subject: Static Grounding for wet-wing composite aircraft
Mime-Version: 1.0

          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
          <<  Lancair Builders' Mail List  >>
          <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>
I'm one of those passive readers who for months now has been monitoring the
daily e-mail of issues related to building these wonderful aircraft.  I'm
still trying to decide if I have the time necessary for the endevour, but
in the meantime am getting a great education.  Keep up the information
flow!

The reason I'm writing is that I'm a subscriber to Light Plane Maintenance.
In the Nov. 1998 issue is an article that everyone should try to read.  It
is called "Thermion Grounding - Static grounding for wet-wing composite
aircraft- an alternative to that plume of smoke at the far end of the
ramp".  It discusses the number of homebuilt aircraft that have caught on
fire due to the lack of a true grounding scheme when fueling aircraft.  The
article discusses "a nickel-coated, carbon-fiber weave that is lightweight,
resin wetable, electrically conductive, and is transparent"...  and costs
around $75 to $100 per plane.  Basically it suggests that this be molded
into the fuel tanks with a wire up to the metal fueling necks with a tab be
made so that the fuel tanks can be grounded during fueling.  Thermion
Systems International, 611 Access Rd, Stratford, CT  06497 (203-377-3770).
The article also suggests that builders call up Lancair and request them to
include it in the kits in the future.