Definition
An electrical circuit in which two or more components are connected across the same two points of the source, so each component forms its own separate path for current. Voltage is the same across every branch, while the total current is the sum of the currents flowing through each branch.
Plain English
A circuit where electricity has more than one path to follow. Each device gets the full voltage from the source, and if one device fails, the others keep working because their paths are independent.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft electrical system discussions, especially when describing how lights, instruments, and other electrical loads are connected.
Derivation
Parallel comes from the Greek parallelos, meaning 'beside one another.' In a parallel circuit, the branches sit side by side between the same two points, each carrying its own share of the current.
Why Pilots Care
Most aircraft electrical loads — lights, instruments, radios — are wired in parallel so that a failure or removal of one component does not shut down the others. Understanding this helps when troubleshooting why some equipment still works while other equipment on the same bus does not.
Analogy
Think of several water taps fed by the same pressurized pipe. Each tap is its own path. Closing or breaking one tap does not stop water from flowing through the others.
Intuition Check
Parallel does not just mean the wires look side by side. In electricity, it means the components are connected across the same two power points, creating separate paths for current.
Example Sentence 1
The cabin lights are wired in a parallel circuit, so a burned-out bulb does not affect the others.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight, the technician confirmed the two alternators were connected in parallel to share the electrical load evenly.