Plain English Meaning

Strong rigid bars or tubes that hold parts of the aircraft apart and keep the structure from collapsing under load. On many small aircraft you can see them running from the bottom of the fuselage up to the wing.

Full Definition

Structural members in a truss-type airframe or landing gear that carry compression loads, holding two points apart and resisting forces that would push them together. In aircraft, struts commonly appear as the rigid supports running from the fuselage to the wing on high-wing aircraft, and as part of the landing gear assembly absorbing impact loads.

Context Anchor

Seen in aircraft structure discussions, especially truss-type fuselages, bracing, landing gear, and of visible supports.