Static develops based on the impact of precip and ice crystals on the front (forward facing surfaces) of the airplane, that is, what you see if you stand way in front of the airplane and view it front on with a telescope.  This includes all the cowl, the front of the wings up to the thickest point of the wings, windshield, etc.  Behind the line where the curvature of wing, tail, and such hide the surface from impacting particles, static is not formed.  The rudder is in this region.

 

The number of static wicks required it dissipate static is based on a calculation of the frontal areas as described above (some percentage of thewing area, for example, like 30-50%) and the speed of the aircraft. 

 

Normal Lancair procedure is to put static wicks on the trailing edge of ailerons, elevators, rudder with number as calculated by the wick maker.  These must be connected to a conductive surface or wire, and this means wires in the rudder.  Ideally, all carbon surfaces are bonded together with straps using conductive epoxy bonded to the bare carbon fibers exposed by sanding, and wires that go from control surface in parallel to the hinges so that there is a continuous electrical path to be followed via wire (not hinge) in the event of a big discharge that may pit a bearing.   Anti static radome paint works on the fiberglass cowl and vertical stabilizer carrying charge (letting it leak away) to the carbon fiber or local ground and thence into the ships ground.

 

In the end, a group of us concluded that it was best to run 10 gage ground wires to each corner of the airplane, bond all carbon surfaces to this ground net (that means top and bottom skins, control surfaces, etc.) and take the ground net to the main battery ground at the firewall so that the battery serves as a pulse absorber which it does well.  This level of connective bonding has eliminated static discharge problems on aircraft previously affected.

 

Fred Moreno