What should be bonded to the aircraft when refueling?

• A. Ground strap
• B. Static strap
• C. Electrical bonding strap
• D. No bonding required

Answer: (B)

During refueling, static electricity can build up as fuel flows and vapors move around. If there’s a potential difference between the aircraft and the fueling equipment, a spark could occur and ignite vapors. Therefore, you bond the aircraft to the fueling system to provide a continuous, low-resistance path for charges to equalize. The static strap is the device designed for this purpose, creating that bond between the aircraft and the fuel dispenser so both are at the same electrical potential before and during fueling. Grounding to earth alone won’t guarantee the necessary bond between the two working surfaces, and not bonding at all would leave a risk of a discharge. The term used for this bonding path in fueling operations is the static strap, which is why it’s chosen here.