To: catpinsan
That is exactly what I needed. Airbus document TDD 20 A 001 ELECTRICAL BONDING, LIGHTNING STRIKE PROTECTION, ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE states that there are three distinct lightning attach zones on the A-310 airframe. Zone 2 is the airframe, engine, and wing surface behind the engine, the tail surface, and a small area in the outer panel of the wing and a fully extended slat. The fully extended slat creates a sharp protrusion on an otherwise smooth wing leading edge making it susceptible to a lightning attachment.
In order to make the storyline work I assumed a lightning attachment at that point on the slat. The lightning then arcs to a slat jack and then into the fuel tank.
It should be noted that the TDD is very detailed as to how to protect the aircraft from lightning strikes however the second draft of this document was not approved in 1984 and by that time aircraft were in service and on the production line. My interest in getting the TDD approved was because the slats and flaps were not grounded to the airframe and none of the level II contractors would comply with it until the TDD was approved. The fact that the slats and flaps were not grounded and that the flaps could extend with no command sensor unit input is the basis of the story.
I don’t know if WINGS OF WAX will ever be published but in writing it my feelings of rage will be diminished. You cannot believe the problems I encountered in trying to bring these problems to the attention of the level II contractors and eventually to the FAA, DGCA and the CAA and the only thing the FAA did was to get the Vice President and program manager fired from one of the level II contractors but the design was never changed.
