Hot take: panel bonding isn't as critical as everyone says

I skipped the panel bonding step on a King Air install last month and just used all screws and washers. The vibration test actually passed cleaner than most bonded setups I've seen. I learned that overbonding can actually create ground loops you don't want. Has anyone else found a non-standard install that worked out better? I'm curious if I just got lucky.

2 comments

2 Comments

butler.patricia1mo ago

Good Lord, you used just screws on a King Air?

sean_perry1mo ago

Read a detailed writeup from a retired Gulfstream guy who swore by selective bonding over full coverage. He argued that too many bonds create a parallel path for current that screws up your avionics more than a few missing bonds ever could. Your King Air passing vibration doesn't surprise me if the screw pattern was tight and load paths were matched up. He said the real issue is always about grounding more than mechanical hold. So you might not have just gotten lucky, you might have dodged a headache some of the overzealous guys create.