Grounding Cable

Introduction

The latest edition of CAP 437 (9th edition) and the Helideck Certification Agency (HCA) mandates that all systems must be equipped with a grounding cable.

The lead should be connected to a manual or spring-rewind reel which is earth-bonded, common to the system pipework, and the lead should be fitted with a correct jack plug adaptor to attach to the approved aircraft earth bonding point. Outlined in CAP 437, Chapter 7, Section 7.15.13.

The body of the jack plug should be of bare conductive metal construction to allow the secondary bonding lead clip (i.e. pressure refuelling coupling or gravity nozzle ground wire clip) to be attached to it when it is plugged into the aircraft.

To minimize the potential of water ingress and poor continuity, no breakout point should be fitted between the reel and the jack plug.