What is the primary advantage of using a circuit breaker over a fuse?

The primary advantage of using a circuit breaker over a fuse lies in its resettable and reusable nature. When a circuit breaker experiences an overload or fault condition, it can be easily reset to restore power without the need for physical replacement. This feature makes circuit breakers more convenient during maintenance and operation since they eliminate the downtime associated with replacing blown fuses.

Additionally, being resettable not only enhances efficiency but also reduces costs over time, as users do not need to keep a stock of replacement fuses on hand. Instead of needing to interrupt circuit functionality to replace a fuse, users can simply reset the breaker, thus ensuring continuity of operations in aircraft systems.

While circuit breakers tend to be larger in size than fuses and do not always eliminate the need for switches, their ability to be reused and reset after tripping is what sets them apart and makes them advantageous in electrical system design.