Why does the F-16 have very prominent static wicks while most other fighters lack them? A pair of Wild Weasels from the 35th Fighter Wing
Posted by random-stud@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 43 comments
SodamessNCO@reddit
There was a threat that I found on this sub from about a decade ago that discusses a similar topic. There's not a ton of comments, but it seems the understanding is that the F16 is made of lots of composites and therefore more suseptible to static build up. Other fighters like the F15 and A10 have much more metal and isn't. It does seem speculative to me, but that's what I found from a bit of snooping.
Thread in question
ZippyDan@reddit
A THREAT...???! WHERE???
Dr-Surge@reddit
Bogie, twelve O'clock high.
UNC_Samurai@reddit
Mobius One, Fox Two!
Dr-Surge@reddit
This is the right answer, Due to the lightweight nature of the construction there are a few areas with dead grounds between joining components, especially around the junction at the fuselage. Long story short, there are pockets of static electricity that can build in one section of the plane and dissipate slowly even on the ground.
Had a friend build a composite kit plane which could generate a good charge at the wing tips before he added static wicks. When the charge built high enough, the Navigation light wiring would short out due to cross talk through the wire conduit and take out the lighting controller while airborne. The first time it happened he lost radio his radio too and isolated it's supply shortly there-after.
This was the only clue he had to Static being the culprit but luckily the problem was traced by a veteran AV-mechanic fairly quickly at the airfield.
El_Lasagno@reddit
There is also the same problem with bonding and new generation passenger airplanes which tend to use composite rather than aluminum for the aircraft hull.
ABoutDeSouffle@reddit
But don't they incorporate copper foil patches in the carbon composite to mitigated lightning strike and dissipate static?
I seem to remember Airbus got into some legal battle with Qatar airlines about paint peeling from those.
Pootang_Wootang@reddit
The F-16 doesn’t use a whole lot of composites. The skin and wings are aluminum. The moveable surfaces, vert and radome are composite or bonded materials.
hereforthenudes81@reddit
Not to mention the A-10 has a lot of composite materials, and also some aluminum-core bonded panels on the wings. I think the key here is the electrical grounding.
blackteashirt@reddit
I think I recall the F-16 was one of the first computer controlled fighters, it's stick is on the right side of the pilot, rather than between the legs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/196x4gv/f16_cockpit_completed/
random-stud@reddit (OP)
that's interesting! thank you for sharing. I'll have a look at that thread.
Sacharon123@reddit
Just for my confirmation, blue ring was training payload on the 88 there, right?
random-stud@reddit (OP)
yep, blue for training, yellow, brown and red for live rounds.
Over-One-8@reddit
F-16’s are very small, so that might be part of the reason they are more prominent than on larger aircraft like F-15 and F-18.
John_the_Piper@reddit
The static wicks are actually pretty massive on Super Hornets, they're just not "pointy" shaped.
No-cal@reddit
E F G 18's don't have those. Show me.
John_the_Piper@reddit
First off, why don't we try approaching strangers with a polite manner? Here, I'll help you:
*"What are you talking about? I don't think Supers have static wicks" *
TweakJK@reddit
That's my thought. People underestimate just how large Supers and Eagles are. I can stand under the fuselage of an Eagle.
SadPhase2589@reddit
I used to be the Crew Chief on the Viper in the front.
random-stud@reddit (OP)
Awesome! Any cool anecdotes that come to mind?
And what's with that dirty undersides on Vipers? Don't you guys ever clean them! lol
SadPhase2589@reddit
Not many story’s on that viper, she was a pretty good jet.
The runways are full of rubber and make the bottom dirty. These are also Misawa vipers and it snows like crazy there so there’s chemicals on the runway for snow removal. the underside are very hard to reach so where not climbing underneath them to clean it.
TweakJK@reddit
Ew. Misawa. Nothing like snorkeling in Guam one day, and the next it's sideways snow in Misawa.
Get on google maps and look up Rusty ROM Food Tent. You might have to point the map at misawa first because it's closed down. We put the tent that gave us ROM meals on Google maps, and reviewed all the shitty food they made us. The picture of the guy holding onto the light pole, that was taken at noon and he was fucking hammered.
itchygentleman@reddit
it's nuts how much a fighter can carry and still be able to fly.
a_berdeen@reddit
A brick can fly if it has enough thrust :)
danny2mo@reddit
In thrust we trust!
AutoRot@reddit
Crazier is the thrust to weight ratio
ncc81701@reddit
Because a fighter needs to be able to pull Gs to turn fast. So when you are cruising along and not yanking & banking, you can use that extra load capacity to carry stuff.
InternationalHour860@reddit
Could be a EW mod for more electronics capability, or the original design because at the time it was super advanced fly by wire. Maybe it was as simple as they kept getting a static charge for unknown reasons that would mess with the avionics and the simplest solution for engineers was to install the wicks.
BarooZaroo@reddit
I like that this picture makes it look like this F-16 has a second baby F-16 loaded under it's wing ready to be fired. It's F16 fractals all the way down.
random-stud@reddit (OP)
I'll raise you the twin F-16 à la F-82
Derek420HighBisCis@reddit
Now do that with two fighter JETS. THAT would be a “I’ll do you one better”, not retrograde to Siamese prop planes.
danit0ba94@reddit
Awwww its feeding ❤️
eddie-van@reddit
I beieve the weasels specifically due to very high voltage they produce for jamming
danit0ba94@reddit
Probably just because it's such a tiny little plane. Just make some look big compared to other planes. :P
Hunting_Party_NA@reddit
Idk mig29 and su27 has plenty of them as well.
F800ST@reddit
Whole plane is billet cut parts. Super strong wings over aluminum sheet metal parts riveted together.
CarminSanDiego@reddit
“Static wicks”
random-stud@reddit (OP)
👀 do you have something to share with the class?
CarminSanDiego@reddit
You fell for the trap, China
NancyRoberts7e05@reddit
The F-16 has prominent static wicks primarily to dissipate static electricity that builds up during flight to prevent potential damage to the aircraft's systems.
random-stud@reddit (OP)
Right, that's what they're for. But why isn't a similiar arrangment seen on other fighter jets/combat aircraft? I'm assuming they have something to deal with static electricity too, just not the wicks. Why did General Dynamics choose to go with something similiar to commercial airliners?
Denninosyos@reddit
Top secret! 😉
random-stud@reddit (OP)
:[
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