| I had my first encounter with static in the 320 last Tuesday. I was flying from Jacksonville, Fl to Detroit, Mi. It was a nice flight from Jacksonville to the southern part of Ohio at 8,000 on top.
There was a cold front moving ESE, running SW to NE across the middle of the state of Ohio.
The tops got higher and the temps got lower. I had to go down to 4,000.
I picked up carb ice, the pitot tube froze and there was static. The static was bad. I had to turn off my Telex ANR because of loud crackling sounds and my autopilot stopped working. I have no static wicks.
Builders put static wicks on planes but no one has ever been able to answer the question when I ask: Is it speed that necessitates the wicks? And, If so, how many do you need for what speed? -- Lorn H. 'Feathers' Olsen, MAA, DynaComm, Corp. LNC2, FB90/92, O-320-D1F, 1,300 hrs, N31161, Y47, SE Michigan
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