What are the issues with fueling, static electricity, and grounding the airframe?
The issue is with build-up of static electricity on the strake skin surfaces which subsequently discharges and ignites fuel vapors. Static charge is generated at the filler neck by the movement of the fuel through the nozzle into the tank, just like rubbing your shoes on a carpet in low humidity. On a metal airplane this charge is dissipated by the frame to the grounding clamp. Our plastic planes are non-conductive, so the charge has nowhere to go. Fuel is non-conductive too, so dangling a chain or wire into the fuel will not help. Best procedures seem to be to wipe the strakes with a damp towel to dissipate static build-up, touch the fueling nozzle to the fuel cap before removing the cap, provide some method of grounding the fueling receptacle, and never refuel from a plastic container. Sport Aviation addresses this subject in the December 1998 issue, page 55. Reference NFPA 407, Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing, for more detailed discussions.
