You have boarded the airplane and made your way to your seat. If you glance out the window, you can see several unobtrusive, short rods poking out of the trailing ends of the aircraft’s broad wings near the flaps. Some aircraft have five, ten, or sometimes even more of these wire-like features that are called static wicks or dischargers. Believe it or not, these devices are crucial to the plane’s safety, as they are able to help dissipate any static charges that the plane might face while in the air.