What an unfortunate way to lose a beautiful airplane! (I've since read
Harald's post and find that hopefully they'll be able to replace just
the aft fuselage and elevator. I'd hope they might be able to make a
"scarf" splice, with inner and outer reinforcing layers, rather than
having to build a whole new fuselage and install the cockpit module.)
What's particulary sad is that this could have been prevented fairly
simply. When installing the fuel tank and filler, just add a strip of
copper or stainless steel braid (1/2" wide would be fine) bonded
electrically to the aluminum lip of the filler and running all the way
down to the bottom of the tank. If you're using a metal "jerrycan" to
fuel, a simple wire with alligator clips at either end will serve to
ground it _before_ you start pouring. If you're using a plastic can,
the simple suggestion would be "don't," but failing that, you can make a
similar wire arrangement within each can you use to fuel.
Ever wonder why conscientious airport fuel truck operators attach a
ground wire from their truck to some metal part of your airframe before
they start fueling? Of course, with a Europa or similar "plastic
fantastic" that may not help much unless the inside of the fuel tank
"sees" the ground somehow. If you have a capacitance fuel gauge system
and one side or the other of the capacitor tube is at the airplane
electrical ground potential, you're set. Incidentally, the fuel truck
hose is either made of a conductive material, or has its own ground wire
running along the inside to the nozzle.
Most American military aircraft have a 1/4" plug (looks just like a
headphone plug) near the fuel filler with a "ground here" placard. No
reason one couldn't add a similar one to a Europa--a Radio Shack phone
jack with _both_ sides grounded would be fine.
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