New Beginnings

[rosiejerryrosie]

A new day, a new forum. Need to get some discussions going here. What are your views? Is it better to crab or slip when landing with a crosswind? I prefer a crab myself - landing an airplane with one wing low just seems .... unnatural...

[Greg Bockelman]

I land in a crab on a regular basis.

[Chad Jensen]

I've used both, depending on the airplane, but tend to use a wing low more often. In tailwheel airplanes I always slip in a crosswind.

[sdilullo]

I usually start off crabbed but transition into a slip before short final. Of course, if it's a relatively short final to begin with then it's pretty much all-slip. Especially in the Cub.

[Bill Greenwood]

For those who like a crabbed landing, how does the plane cope with a touchdown in a crab? If it is a nosewheel airplane, you would be putting a side load on the nosewheel if it is not going the direction aligned with the runway when it touches. That might damage something, and is not going to be good for the wheel or tire. Maybe if you were really skilled you could crab when the main wheels touch, then get it straight until the nose wheel hits, but that would be hard.
If you touchdown in a real airplane like a Cub or T6 and you are in a crab, then the tailwheel is moving sideways and it is going to be a pro ground loop unstable situation, isn't it. Like crosswind from the left, nose crabbed to left into wind, so tailwheel hits moving sideways to the right, and it is pro ground loop, wants to move more right.
Seems to me a crab on final, especially in strong winds, but before touchdown align the nose with the runway and lower the upwind wing.
Better yet go to a runway into the wind.

[steveinindy]

I'd personally love to have the type of landing gear they have on a B-52 with the "dial-a-crab" feature.

[rosiejerryrosie]

[QUOTE=Seems to me a crab on final, especially in strong winds, but before touchdown align the nose with the runway and lower the upwind wing.
Better yet go to a runway into the wind.[/QUOTE]

Yep - you have the answer to your own question. Unless you are drivng an Ercoupe (whose wheels caster if landing in a crab) you must lower the upwind wing and 'kick' to airplane to line up with the runway just before touchdown. It takes good timing, but, to me, it is easier than holding the correct slip and cross control all the way down final.

[Bill Campbell]

I land in a crab on a regular basis.

Greg, have you tried pyrinate?

[Frank Giger]

I love to slip!

[Hangar10]

Slip!