Definition
Describes a piston aircraft engine that delivers fuel to the cylinders through a fuel injection system, which sprays metered fuel directly into the intake ports (or in some designs the cylinders themselves) rather than mixing fuel and air in a carburetor.
Plain English
A fuel-injected engine squirts fuel straight into each cylinder's intake instead of mixing it with air in a single carburetor first. There is no carburetor, so the icing problems associated with carburetors do not occur in the same way.
Context Anchor
Seen in induction icing, engine operation, and aircraft equipment discussions, especially when comparing carbureted and fuel-injected piston engines.
Derivation
From Latin 'injectus,' meaning 'thrown in.' Fuel is forced ('thrown') under pressure into the intake stream, rather than being drawn in by suction as it is in a carburetor.
Why Pilots Care
Fuel-injected engines are less susceptible to carburetor icing because there is no venturi to cause rapid cooling and condensation.
Intuition Check
Do not assume “fuel-injected” means “icing-proof.” It only means the engine does not use a carburetor to mix fuel and air; ice can still block the air supply.
Example Sentence 1
Because the Cirrus has a fuel-injected engine, the pilot uses alternate air rather than carburetor heat if the induction system ices over.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots of fuel-injected aircraft still check for induction icing but do not have to manage carburetor heat in the same way.