Definition
The process of locating and correcting faults, errors, or malfunctions in a system, particularly in aircraft electronic equipment, computer software, or avionics, so that the system performs as intended.
Plain English
Finding what is wrong with a piece of equipment or software and fixing it so it works correctly.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, engine run-up, system checks, and post-repair testing.
Derivation
From the word 'bug,' long used by engineers to mean a fault or glitch in a machine. Adding 'de-' means removing those bugs. The term became common in early computing but applies to any technical system.
Why Pilots Care
Proper debugging prevents system failures that could lead to in-flight issues or groundings.
Intuition Check
Debugging does not only mean fixing computer software here. In aviation maintenance, it can mean finding and correcting faults in any aircraft system or component.
Example Sentence 1
The avionics technician spent the morning debugging the GPS unit after it began showing intermittent position errors.
Example Sentence 2
After debugging the navigation software, the pilot confirmed all waypoints were loading correctly.