The static wicks are often attached to the thinnest metal surfaces on the aircraft such as the horizontal stabilizer and ... Home/Pilot Proficiency/Ask FLYING/ Why Don’t All Airplanes Have ...

The electricity travels through the static wicks, across the isolated grounding system, and back out the other end into the air, where it can safely dissipate away from the plane.

They are called static wicks, or static dischargers, and they actually have a very important function. ... In a post in the online discussion forum Quora, a pilot explained how.

They are called static wicks, or static dischargers, and they actually have a very important function. ... In a post in the online discussion forum Quora, a pilot explained how.

Thankfully, the aviation industry had figured out a solution long ago: the static discharge wick. The static discharge wick — often just called the static wick today — was invented in the 1940s.

If you've ever wondered what the little metal rods sticking out of the back of the wings are, they're known as static wicks, and you won't believe what they're for.

Occasionally, a static wick will be the victim of lightning exiting the airplane. I have been in airplanes that have sustained lightning strikes several times with very little damage.

For something so important, it's a deceptively low-profile piece of equipment: a handful of small metal rods on the wings known as static wicks. Read more: 12 WD-40 Hacks You'll Wish You Knew Sooner ...