§ Mr. Perkinsasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any experiments have been made in anti-static electricity devices for use in aircraft; and whether any British civil aircraft are fitted with these devices?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MuirheadProtection of aircraft from lightning has been the subject of experiments in the past and is still receiving attention. It will be appreciated that experiments cannot be carried out at will but devices are installed in aircraft and their behaviour is observed during suitable conditions. As a result of the work done certain safety precautions are prescribed in the Airworthiness Handbook for Civil Aircraft. As regards rain-, snow-and dust-static the only effective device, so far as is known, is the screened loop, a device normally employed with direction-finding systems in this country. As regards radiated static, as distinct from electrification of the aircraft structure by friction effect or by passage through charged clouds, as far as is known no effective method has anywhere been devised to overcome this.