What are the metal sticks on aircraft wings for?
January 31, 2026
If you look closely at an aircraft’s wings or tail, you’ll notice a row of thin, whisker-like rods sticking out from the trailing edges. They’re easy to overlook, but without them, an aircraft’s radios could crackle with interference, navigation systems could be disrupted, and static electricity would have nowhere safe to go.
Those small components are called static wicks, or static dischargers, and they play a quiet but essential role in keeping modern aircraft flying safely through clouds, rain and lightning-filled skies.
Static wicks are small metal or carbon rods fitted to aircraft wings and tail surfaces to safely discharge static electricity during flight.
What do static wicks do on aircraft?
As an aircraft moves through the air, friction is generated between the airframe and the air flowing over it. This friction causes static electricity to build up on the aircraft, and the amount can increase if the aircraft is flying through rain, snow or clouds.
If left to its own devices, the build-up of static electricity causes electromagnetic interference (EMI). This can disrupt the aircraft’s communication and navigation radios as well as other avionics and systems.
If the electrical charge then builds up to a certain level, it can discharge in the form of a spark. This would be particularly dangerous for aircraft during ground refuelling and even more so for those military aircraft that can do air-to-air refuelling.
As electrical charge tends to accumulate on the edges of surfaces or on sharp points. The static dischargers, shaped like a needle, take advantage of this to allow the static electricity to dissipate in a controlled manner.
What are static wicks made of?
Static wicks can be made of metal or carbon and are designed to be lightweight but durable. They can, however, wear down over the lifespan of the aircraft, as they are exposed to the elements, so they must be inspected and can be replaced periodically.
If the aircraft is struck by lightning or encounters St Elmo’s Fire, the static wicks can help discharge the extra build-up of static electricity.
Aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes, as all airframe components are electrically bonded (grounded) together. This means that an electrical charge, like a lightning strike, can pass through it safely.
Where are static wicks found on aircraft?
Static wicks are generally fitted to the extremities of the aircraft where static electricity can build up because of the air flow. They can be found on the wings, but also on the vertical stabiliser/rudder and the horizontal stabiliser/elevators. Sometimes they’re also on the rear of the flap-track fairings (those things that look like canoes underneath the trailing edge of the wing).
A typical airliner, like an Airbus A320neo, for example, has thirty-three static dischargers. Five are on each wingtip (sharklet), four on each aileron, one on each horizontal stabiliser, four on each elevator, three on the rudder and one on top of the vertical stabiliser. The remainder are fitted to the rear of the flap track fairings.
Pre-flight checks for static wicks
When pilots conduct the pre-flight external inspection, or “walkaround” as it’s known, they will check that the correct number of static wicks are fitted and none are damaged or have fallen off.
An aircraft may be permitted to fly with up to 20% of the static wicks missing. Often, if the pilots report interference on the radios, this can be the first sign that some of the static dischargers have been damaged.
The fact is, static wicks may be small and easy to miss, but they’re essential to the aircraft’s safety.
Featured image: Pete Wilson
