Ever wondered what those rods sticking out of the trailing edge of an airplane wing are?
Some might think they're aerials or sensors, but actually, its a lot simpler than that.
These are known as static wicks, and they're fundamental to safe flying – here's what you need to know.
If you're a window gazer like most flying fans are, you might have noticed some little metal rods sticking out of the back of the wings of the plane.
Depending on the plane type, there might be five, ten, or even more of them visible, so what are they for?
These small structures are called static wicks, and they perform an important task for the safety of flight.
Also known as static dischargers, these small devices help to dissipate static charge that might be encountered during the course of the flight.
The most obvious source of such static electricity would be lightning.
Modern aircraft are designed to cope with this, and the static wicks are one element that provides lightning protection for the plane.
However, the plane itself can sometimes create a static charge, a result of flying through the particles in the atmosphere and 'rubbing' against it.
