Patent ID: 7686905

Claim:
A method for repairing the reduced impedance of an electrically conductive layer contained on an aircraft composite skin the method comprising: removing any paint and/or fiberglass plies located over an area of the composite skin to reveal a section of the electrically conductive layer; removing one or more fasteners within said section of the electrically conductive layer, wherein removing each of said one or more fasteners leaves a respective fastener hole; removing a portion of a copper foil grid within said section of the electrically conductive layer to reveal an underlying composite skin; forming a copper patch from a section of replacement copper foil and an unsupported film adhesive; introducing said copper patch over said underlying composite skin such that an outer portion of said patch overlaps an overlapping region of an unremoved portion of the copper foil grid and wherein said unsupported film adhesive of said copper patch contacts said underlying composite skin and said overlapping region; coupling a layer of a resin impregnated fiberglass material over said copper patch; coupling said copper patch to said underlying composite skin; and introducing a polytetrafluoroethlyene plug within each of said respective fastener holes.