Airbus Operations Gmbh

Alan Pout

Colin John West

David Alistair Sutton

Dylan Benedict James

Richard Mills

Robert Bernard Malia

A pipe installation including conductive first and second pipes installed in a fuel tank; and a fitting which connects the first and second pipes and enables fluid to flow through the pipes via a conduit in the fitting. The fitting is attached to the first or second pipe by a flexible joint which permits relative movement between the fitting and the first or second pipe. The fitting is attached to a structure of the fuel tank. The fitting provides a path of least electrical resistance between the first or second pipe and the structure, and the path of least electrical resistance has a resistance between 50&#x3a9; and 100M&#x3a9;.

Pipe installation

A joint on an aircraft, the joint comprising: a first component; a second component joined to the first component; and a bonding lead which forms an electrical connection between the components with a resistance between 100 k&#x3a9; and 10 M&#x3a9;. Surprisingly, it has been found that a bonding lead with a relatively high resistance can be used without seriously compromising the static discharge performance of the bonding lead, and that the resulting comparatively low flow of current reduces the risk of sparking in the event of an lightning strike. Bonding leads may be provided as a kit of parts in which at least two of the bonding leads have different lengths and the longer lead is formed from a material having a higher bulk conductivity than the shorter lead. Thus the bonding leads can be made with approximately similar resistances regardless of their lengths.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Alan Pout