I knew the owners of one of the fire victims (aircraft wsant written off) I
think the static discharge was=0Abetween the metal tank breather on top of
the Classic feselage and the metal funnel used to fill the tank.=0AThe air
rushes up the breather plastic tube and carries droplets in it picking up
static charge on the way.=0AThe discharge near the end of the filling cycle
was to the metal funnel, earthed by the man's hand.=0AIt was a dry hot day
and aircraft had flown two hours.=0AI always recommend breath tube is bigg
er, 3/8" aluminum and grounded. Touching it with a hand will help.=0AGraham
=0AThe tank can be filled quicker with the bigger breather.=0AFor the XS br
eather goes into the top of the cobra with a separate breather higher up, f
uel splatter goes=0Aback into the tank.=0A=0A=0A=0A________________________
________=0A From: Andrew Sarangan <asarangan@gmail.com>=0ATo: Europa List <
europa-list@matronics.com> =0ASent: Wednesday, 18 December 2013, 23:52=0ASu
bject: Europa-List: Static in fuel system=0A =0A=0A--> Europa-List message
posted by: Andrew Sarangan <asarangan@gmail.com>=0A=0AI hate to revive this
discussion once again, but I am still trying to=0Afigure out the static di
scharge mechanisms in the Europa fuel system.=0AI recall at least two Europ
as that were consumed by static induced=0Afuel fire. Was there any final re
port regarding these incidents, so=0Athat we can learn from these?=0A=0AEur
opa's fuel tank and the cobra inlet are nonconductive plastic. Even=0Athe f
iller neck is non conductive (at first I thought this was=0Aaluminum, but I
verified that it was actually an insulator). I suppose=0Aa brush-like disc
harge is possible from highly charged nonconductive=0Asurfaces, but I doubt
we can pour fuel into this aircraft at rates=0Athat will induces such high
charge densities.=0A=0AThe other possibility is a discharge between the pe
rson and the=0Afuselage due to charge generated during flight due to air fl
ow. But=0Aagain, this would be more like a brush discharge than a spark, an
d=0Awould have to occur immediately after landing.=0A=0AMost of the static
discharge accidents I have read about have occurred=0Awhen the person touch
es the metal fuel nozzle.=0A=0AI guess my question is, since there are no m
etal parts in the Europa=0Afueling system upstream of the tank, where does
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Matt Dralle, List
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