Definition
The quantity of electrical energy stored in a battery or capacitor, or the act of restoring that energy by passing current through the device in the direction opposite to its discharge.
Plain English
The amount of electrical energy held in a battery or capacitor, or the process of putting that energy back in.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft battery, starter, alternator, and electrical-system discussions.
Derivation
From the Old French 'charger,' meaning 'to load.' A charged battery is, in effect, a battery that has been 'loaded' with electrical energy.
Why Pilots Care
A battery's state of charge determines whether it can start the engine, run avionics during electrical failure, or hold a load long enough to complete a safe descent and landing.
Intuition Check
Do not read charge here as a fee, blame, or rushing forward. In this aviation context, it means stored electrical energy, or the act of putting that energy into a battery or electrical part.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot noticed the ammeter showing a positive reading, indicating the alternator was putting a charge back into the battery.
Example Sentence 2
Static charge can build on the aircraft skin during flight through rain.