A technician installs a bonding jumper between a control surface and the adjacent airframe structure. What is the primary purpose of this bonding jumper?
- ATo provide a low-resistance electrical path between components and equalize electrical potential
- BTo dissipate static electricity buildup into the atmosphere during flight
- CTo insulate the control surface electrically from the rest of the airframe
- DTo provide structural reinforcement for the control surface hinge
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. To provide a low-resistance electrical path between components and equalize electrical potential
Bonding jumpers provide a low-resistance electrical path between components, ensuring they are at the same electrical potential. This reduces the risk of arcing, radio interference, and provides a path for fault current or lightning strike current to flow safely through the airframe. Static discharge into the atmosphere is instead handled by static discharge wicks.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Discharging static electricity into the atmosphere is the function of static discharge wicks, not bonding jumpers.
- C. Bonding is meant to electrically connect components, not insulate them from each other.
- D. Bonding jumpers are electrical, not structural, components and provide no mechanical strength.
Bonding Jumper
A low-resistance electrical strap connecting metal components of an aircraft to equalize electrical potential, reduce radio interference, and provide a path for fault or lightning current.
- Provides low-resistance path between structural components
- Reduces static charge buildup differences between parts
- Helps prevent radio frequency interference (RFI)
- Different function from static discharge wicks, which release static charge to the air
Memory trick: Bonding jumpers are the 'handshake' between metal parts, keeping them at equal electrical potential.