What is meant by load shedding in an aircraft electrical system?

• A. Dropping all loads to conserve energy.
• B. Dropping nonessential loads to preserve power for critical systems when power is limited.
• C. Increasing generator output to cover all loads.
• D. Routing power to nonessential systems first.

Answer: (B)

Load shedding means removing power from nonessential electrical loads so that the available power can be kept for the systems that are critical to flight safety. In an airplane, essential systems like flight controls, navigation, communications, and essential sensors must stay powered even if generation is limited or a generator fails. When power is tight, the electrical system automatically or manually disconnects nonessential items—such as certain cabin lighting, galley outlets, or passenger entertainment—to prevent a blackout of the important systems. Increasing generator output isn’t always possible or safe, and dropping all loads would cut off necessary functions, so the aim is to preserve critical power by shedding what’s not essential.