About

My name is Michael Clark and I’m the owner or Turtleback Grounding Systems. I have been in aviation for over 23 years and have had the opportunity to work with great companies and people during that time. I got my start at Foothills Aviation in Northeast GA doing general aviation work. From there I joined the Marines as a Huey and Cobra Plane Captain/Collateral Duty Inspector then got into military contracting for a few years after my honorable discharge. I have traveled the world as a technician for oil and gas exploratory aircraft, worked at Hondajet while they received their production certificate from the FAA, and I currently work at GE Aviation in NC.

One thing has been consistent throughout my career; aircraft are statically grounded by the same archaic system around the world. While mostly reliable for it’s time, the system needs to be brought into alignment with today’s industry focus on safety and efficiency.

The current method has two shortfalls when considering how modern maintenance is accomplished.

First, mechanics typically will attempt to attach more than one grounding cable to the hangar floor in an unsafe manner. They will use cables with weak spring clips and stack clips with up to four cables being tethered to one point. When the weak spring clip is kicked or pulled loose, you unintentionally break the ground connection for four aircraft or ground support equipment.

Second, the equipment used to attach the cables to the hangar grounding points is outdated. The clips are either weak like illustrated above, or so large, like the industrial style clamps, that they stick four inches straight up with the loop of the grounding cable adding another 3 to 4 inches. Either stacking spring clips or using the larger clamps both create a significant trip hazard. Companies agree there is a trip hazard, as I’ve seen them invest in safety cones to put over the ground points and cables.

I have witnessed the industry try to apply temporary fixes and decided I needed to offer a permanent solution. Our Turtlebacks provide a low profile, permanent attach point for up to 4 cables. The bayonet style cables insert from the side eliminating the trip hazard and remain protected by the profile of the disc. You can confidently step on or run over them without damaging your cables or connectors. They take ten minutes to install and are “set and forget,” removing the need for mechanics to periodically check the connections or reattach the cables. Turtlebacks are a convenient, durable, and safe solution for your technicians and your aircraft.