With electrostatic discharger technology virtually dormant for the last 20 years, electric charges on the surface of aircraft in flight and the detrimental effect of uncontrolled electrical discharge pulses on the performance of avionic systems have continued to pose problems for aircraft manufacturers worldwide.

But at last a real breakthrough has been achieved by H R Smith (Technical Developments) Limited with the introduction of the revolutionary Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Discharger.

Using the most advanced thermoplastic composites and compounds and state-of-the-art manufacturing and processing techniques, these new Electrostatic Dischargers are now available offering unrivalled performance in the following key areas:

• All composite construction
• Lightning strike resistant
• Improved noise quietening
• Proven composite airframe compatibility
• Reduced weight
• Lower life cycle costs
• Interchangeability with existing types
• Simple maintenance
• Enhanced mechanical performance
• Compatibility with any airframe platform

Bringing tomorrow's technology to today's aircraft, the new Type "T” Advanced Electrostatic Discharger combines the use of advanced materials and processes to give substantially better all-round performance compared with existing types of dischargers.

All composite construction.

The Type "T" Advanced Electronic Discharger uses advanced semi- conductive composite materials to make the discharger base, rod and tip. The composite base offers compatibility with all airframe interface materials without sufferinq the corrosion problems sometimes seen with metallic discharger bases and airframes.

The advanced semi-conductive discharger tip contains numerous fine points which have a low corona inception voltage, high melt temperature and a very long life under continuous discharge conditions.

Lightning strike reistant and composite airframe compatibility.

Existing static dischargers have metallic bases for use on both metallic and composite airframe structures. When lightning attaches to metallic bases on a composite airframe severe delamination damage occurs.

Type “T” Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers use an all composite base. In independently documented tests at Culham Lightning Strike Laboratories, the Type “T” bases are found to be totally resistant to zone 1B lightning attachment.

Improved noise quietening.

Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers give in excess of 65dB noise quientening compared to an unquietened source.

Reduces weight.

Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers have an average 40% reduction in weight compared with existing types of discharger.

Interchangeability and maintenance.

Fully interchangeable with all static dischargers manufactured worldwide, Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers are also specifically designed for easy installation and simple maintenance.

Lower life cycle costs.

Advantages in performance over a wide range of parameters all add up to the Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers giving significantly lower life cycle costs compared with conventional units.

Quality assurance.

HR Smith manufacture all Type "T" Advanced Electrostatic Dischargers to meet the stringent US MIL D-9129, MIL Q-9858, MIL I-45208 and NATO AQAP 1 Quality Assurance Standards.

Dischargers (Part number cross reference)