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Matt,

You wrote:

<<I am thinking static buildup.  Any other thoughts?  Are static wicks the only solution?  How difficult to add to a 360 - not painted yet but in very nice primer??>>

My experience, over 1.5 years, of flying with WLS primer was that it allowed static buildup under any conditions.  So much so that I could get a Loran unit to work on the ground, but it always lost communication very soon after being airborne.  If I would wipe my hand across the cowl, the hair would stand up on my arm.  Generally, the problem went away when the plane was painted.  However, by that time I had installed a GPS in place of the Loran.

I am currently writing a story about my flight to the Reno Air Races and the return in heavy IFR conditions where, among other things, I experienced sharp discharge noises in my headset, occasional VHF whine and ATC communication difficulties, AOA going wild, disconnects of my Auto Pilot, and loss of the GPSS-A/P GPS guidance from time to time.  Was it merely simple static or unusual electrical properties in the cold clouds?  I had never encountered such a strong effect before!

Scott Krueger
N92EX

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