Passengers might have seen them, pilots verify their presence during the pre-flight check: the static dischargers. Those simplistic looking devices faithfully perform their function during every flight and yet their working principle all too often remains obscure. This article is aimed at changing that. While it does involve some math in the middle-section, it is worth sticking with it to the end, where you will find real-world operational examples!

The Wright Flyer contained no electronics whatsoever. Sputnik I was quite simple, consisting of two transmitters based on tube...