Crabbing

See if this gives you the information that you need.

http://www.flywestwind.com/WTC/Pprograms/takeoffsandlandings.htm#Crosswind Approach and Landing

Crabbing is just basically flying a wings level heading that corrects for prevailing winds vs the rnwy heading. Pilots do it all the time at alt. It is the most basic skill of navigation. No correcting for the wind, no getting to your destination. Crabbing is the recommended method for X-wind landings in the airlines. It is more comfortable for the passengers, and a more effective way to deal with X-winds on approach. It also eliminates the risk of scraping a wing or engine nacelle on the rnwy by way of a wing low slip that is commonly used by myself and the rest of the G.A. pilots. I have also used the crab method for high X-winds at my home airport.

Crabbing is basically cross-controlling the airplane (i.e. using the aileron or rudder or both in opposition to each other).

For example, on an approach, aligned with the center line, a crosswind is pushing your flight path away from the centerline. You can use a small amount of rudder in the direction the wind is coming from to keep the flight path aligned with the runway while the nose is pointed away from the centerline enough to correct for the wind drift.

Crabbing with both rudder and aileron is often used during a descent to landing when the pilot finds him/her self significantly too high when nearing the touchdown point. It is also called a "slip" when used for this purpose. It allows the airplane to lose altitude at a higher than normal rate without also increasing air or ground speed.

From the pilots perspective, the wing in the direction of the turn is banked toward the ground while the nose is pointing away from the runway in the opposite direction. Done correctly, the flight path stays aligned with the center line of the runway and the pilot straightens the nose and lifts the wing to level just prior to touchdown (or earlier if he/she has lost the extra altitude before touching down).

Cheers for the replies, but is there another way for correcting cross wind approaches, I thought there was 🙄

Crabbing is NOT cross controlling Mr. Wood. When you cross the controls you apply opposite rudder opposed to aileron input. i.e. left aileron right rudder, or right aileron left rudder. That constiutes a slip. For instance; If I have a X-wind off to my left, I lower my left wing hence left aileron, however If I want to keep the plane aligned with the rnwy I must use right rudder, hence crossed controls, otherwise the plane would turn left in ordinary fashion. What I'm doing is slipping into the wind just enough to counter the drift imposed by the X-wind yet keeping the planes fuselage aligned with rnwy heading at the same time. When you crab into the wind you are NOT crossing the controls, you are just flying a wings level heading that compensates for wind direction enough to get to the rnwy. You do the same thing all the time when you are flying cross country. As I said before, it it the most basic and essential of navigation skills. When you fly to a distant arpt you must correct your heading to compensate for winds aloft in order to arrive at the intended point. It is never done with crossed controls, unless you like flying one wing low for hundreds of miles. I'm a real pilot so I know what I am talking about. I don't know if you are a real pilot Mr. Wood, but if you are I suggest you review your ground school lessons and books, You will find that I am correct.

I don't want to get into an on-line argument but the previous poster splits too fine a hair. Crabbing is cross-controlling. When you fly straight and level or when you are making a turn with the correct amount of rudder and aileron, that is known as "coordinated flight". i.e., the rudder and ailerons are coordinated. When you apply "uncoordinated" forces such as applying rudder when you do not apply a aileron forces to turn, that is cross-controlling and is known as a "crab". It is a crab whether you apply opposite aileron or not. When you do not apply opposite aileron, the crab simply moves the nose in the desired direction. When you apply opposite aileron, the crab also lowers the opposite wing, a distinction I made in my previous post. In either case, uncoordinated flight is cross-controlling.

As to qualifications, I too am a real world pilot with commercial, multi-engine, and instrument ratings.

I meant to reply to Joleggs question in the previous post but sent it too soon.

There is another technique for cross wind landings. Basically, on final, you align with the runway then turn slightly into the wind to continue to track the centerline. Just before touchdown, you use rudder to align the nose with the centerline and use aileron to lower the wing toward the wind so as to avoid the wind getting under that wing and causing an uncontrolled wing-over flip. In some cases, that lowered wing can be extreme enough to land on only one wheel (assuming light aircraft with only two main wheels plus either a nose or tail wheel).

Each aircraft has a demonstrated cross-wind component which is the maximum cross-wind that the aircraft has been demonstrated to be able to safely land. Trying to land in a stonger cross wind means you have just become a test pilot.

Ok, I understand it all now, all help greatly appreciated 🍻

On further reflection, I believe I owe Leadfoot an apology. Crabbing is actually the flight regime where the ground track of the airplane and the course being flown are different as the result of wind drift correction. I was correct that the two methods of crabbing I discussed are accomplished with cross-controlling but Leadfoot was correct that crabbing can be done without cross controlling.

The primary example is enroute flight aiming the airplane into the wind to avoid cross wind drift. That is done in coordinated flight and no cross controlling is necessary. Uncoordinated crabbing or cross controlling is most often accomplished in the final approach stage.

Whatever. But I will say this;when I fly to another arpt and if there is a significant wind that is not aligned with my intended course. I must add or subtract a wind correction angle in order to get to my intended arpt. i.e. I fly a heading that significantly different from the true course indicated. I don't know about anyone else but even though the nose of my craft is not pointed exactly at the destination because of needed wind correction, I still fly the plane in coordinated flight. Mr. Wood is correct that when you cross the controls you are no longer in coordinated flight. When you are in a slip or skid during a turn, your turn is not coordinated. I am content to split the fine hair in this issue. There have been a few times when the X-wind component was at or above book ratings for the plane I was flying, I tried the wing low slip method i.e. cross controling during my first app to KVTA, I realized it was'nt going to be enough so I scuttled the app and went around, on the second app. I elected to use the crab method. I had to fly a heading that was a good 10-15 degrees or more to the left the rnwy heading of 270 in order to stay on rnwy centerline. My wings were level, and the ball was centered, hence coordinated flight. I found the crab to be a more stable approach as well. Just before touchdown I kicked in full right rudder to get the plane aligned for landing. Needless to say it worked, rather nicely I might add. I guess that hair just isn't too fine to split, seems pretty fat to me. You CAN fly an X-wind approach without crossing the controls, you just fly the heading correction needed to stay on rnwy centerline. I've done many times with no problems.

Ah Leadfoot, I think you just made my point. When you "kick the rudder" to align the nose of the aircraft with the runway, you are cross controlling.

This is more interesting than most Family Guy's

I too have learned a lot from all this. 😎

Ah Don Wood; You are correct. How's that for splitting hairs? Question; do fly for the airlines or as a private pilot? Just curious.

Dammit! I forgot to put the word you in the last question. I hate it when I do that. ARRRRRRGH!!! P.S. Mr. Wood is correct, when I kicked in right rudder to line up with the rnwy at touchdown, that constituted crossing the controls.

Thanks for asking. I now only fly for recreation and personal travel. In the past, I spent several years flying about 300-400 hours per year in the US managing a national business. I also spent about two years as a contract pilot for a large law enforcement agency.

For the past several years I have spent a fair amount of time as a college instructor in a subject outside of aviation. That, I suppose, accounts for the higher than necessary level of detail I get into occasionally.

here's the link to a pic...just for fun...
http://charlestonarea.com/chproductsreview/Crabbing_Technique.jpg

That looks familiar. Looks even better from the cockpit.