What is the role of a protective bonding jumper in an aircraft electrical system?

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Protective bonding jumpers create equipotential bonding by tying metal components of the airframe together so they share the same electrical potential. This establishes a low-impedance path for fault currents and for discharging static electricity, helping prevent dangerous voltage differences that could cause arcing, electrical shocks, or corrosion and aiding safe operation during faults or lightning. In practice, bonding jumpers may connect major airframe structures, fuel tanks, engine mounts, and equipment racks to maintain a continuous conductive network. They are not meant for storing energy, nor to raise system impedance, nor to route data signals.