Definition
The total electrical current, measured in amperes (amps), being drawn from an aircraft's electrical system by all powered equipment in use at a given moment.
Plain English
How much electricity all the aircraft's switched-on equipment is using right now, added together.
Context Anchor
Seen in electrical system malfunction procedures, especially when the pilot may need to turn off nonessential equipment to save battery power.
Derivation
Amperage' comes from 'ampere,' the unit of electric current named after French physicist André-Marie Ampère. 'Load' here means the demand placed on a system — the same sense as a workload. Together: the amount of current demand on the electrical system.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing the amperage load lets a pilot judge how long the battery will last before critical systems lose power.
Intuition Check
Load does not mean passengers, baggage, or cargo here. In this context, it means electrical demand from equipment that is turned on.
Example Sentence 1
After the alternator failed, the pilot reduced amperage load by switching off the landing light, pitot heat, and unnecessary radios.
Example Sentence 2
The checklist warned that a high amperage load would drain the battery faster than expected.