Definition
A force that pushes inward on a structural member, squeezing it along its length and tending to shorten or crush it.
Plain English
A pushing or squeezing force on a part, trying to make it shorter.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft structures, landing gear, and maintenance discussions about how parts carry force.
Derivation
From Latin 'comprimere,' meaning 'to press together.' The word captures the idea of a force pressing the two ends of a part toward each other.
Why Pilots Care
Compressive loads determine structural design limits and affect how the airframe handles maneuvers, turbulence, and landing impacts.
Analogy
Pushing on both ends of a drinking straw puts it under a compressive load. If the force is high enough, the straw bends or crushes.
Intuition Check
Do not read “load” here as baggage or cargo. In this context, a load is a force acting on a part.
Example Sentence 1
On touchdown, the landing gear struts absorb a heavy compressive load as the aircraft's weight settles onto them.
Example Sentence 2
The upper wing skin experiences compressive load in level flight as the wing bends upward.