Static Electricity

[Vagus]

At the moment I'm plagued with getting static shocks when I touch a metal light switch or a shiny metal radiator. It's only been in the last week or so this has been happening and is worse in the morning when I'm still in my pyjamas and dressing gown but does happen occasionally once I'm up and dressed too.

Is it something to do with the weather conditions perhaps, or have I suddenly become a live wire? Does anyone else have this happen to them?

[237SJ]

It's cold (and particularly dry) air that causes it.  Used to get terrible static on the 747

[Hopkirk]

When I worked as cabin crew it was two particular planes that it happened on. When you zapped a passenger you went "oh, I'm on Tango Alpha again"

The passengers looked shocked.

[237SJ]

In the night when you were in the bunks, you see the sparks flying off the blankets when you moved.

[Redhelen72]

That's just shocking Vagus 

[237SJ]

Apparently, a lot of aircraft had humidifiers (the 747 did because I found the drain valve for it in the bunks down the back of the aircraft) but they weren't used because using them used more fuel. So the air was very dry.  B777 (200 series) was bad for that (300 not so bad)

[237SJ]

And and nowadays with aircraft like the B787, you can programme in how may passengers are on the aircraft and the humidity sets itself.