Product Code:SAE ARP4043
Title:Flight Line Grounding and Bonding of Aircraft
Issuing Committee:Ae-4 Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) Committee
Scope: Grounding is the process of connecting one or more metallic objects and ground conductors to ground electrodes. Bonding is the process of connecting two or more metallic objects together by means of a conductor. Bonding is done to equalize electrostatic potential between two or more conductive objects. The generation of static electricity cannot be prevented entirely. Its generation is not in itself a hazard provided it can be dissipated safely. The hazard is encountered when changes accumulate to the extent that a spark discharge occurs to some other object in the presence of hazardous atmospheres, dusts, etc. Elimination of such potential hazards, therefore, requires proper grounding or neutralization of the charges to avoid dangerous accumulations.