Crab & Kick or Slip

[Donsa320]

I dunno, I typed in the A-320 15 years ago and the accepted method then was to touchdown wing low into the crosswind with enough top rudder to keep from turning, same as every other type airplane I ever flew. And there have been lots of them. But no Aircoupes. <bg>

-DC

 

[bafanguy]

In the Corporate forum, there's a thread titled, "GV Crosswind Technique", that addresses a lot of what is mentioned here. Probably oriented toward larger-airplane stuff, but you'll find it interesting.

 

[FracCapt]

Crab and kick. No reason to fly down final in a slip making it uncomfortable for pax. Not flying pax yet? Well, when you do start, it'll be one less habit to un-learn. I had an FO once fly down final from about 1500' in a slip with a strong crosswind. He kept commenting about how much more power it was taking than in usual to fly the glide slope on speed. I later asked him if he knew why that was...and he stated that "it must be that the crosswind causes the engines to be less efficient, so you have to spool them up higher to get the same thrust". I would've smacked him, but I was laughing so hard I couldn't..

 

[Cat Driver]

Both methods of landing should be taught and the private pilot student should be profficient in both and or a combination of both.

Sideslipping on final during the approach is not only uncomfortable and annoying but shows poor understanding of how to track straight over the ground before the flare to the landing attitude.

Donsa320, good comment, thats why Airbus gave pilots back rudder use in the landing configuration.

 

[Fly_Chick]

I heard about a year ago that the FAA was looking for private pilot applicants to slip. They were looking for commercial pilots to "crab & kick". Unfortnately, I have not been able to back this up, just thought I would add my two cents.

 

[minitour]

...I later asked him if he knew why that was...and he stated that "it must be that the crosswind causes the engines to be less efficient, so you have to spool them up higher to get the same thrust". I would've smacked him, but I was laughing so hard I couldn't..

I know what you mean. The lack of basic (and I mean very basic) aerodynamic understanding is astonishing. Ask someone "what makes an airplane climb?", and you get all sorts of answers:
"You're close to the critical angle of attack"
"You're producing too much lift"
"you're traveling forward faster than the earth is rotating"

Thanks for all the input folks, if I ever get to fly some day I'll try to put it to good use.

-mini

 

[Ralgha]

As I said, I had an examiner on the instrument ride ream me pretty good for doing the crab and kick method when I guess he wanted to see the slip. It was my fault for not being comfortable with the slip coming in on the localizer. I should have been prepared for either one (not that he specified, but I should have been ready) and not just the crab and kick for the instrument approach.

Wait...he wanted you to slip down an ILS on the instruments? Did you smack him? Or did I misinterpret?

 

[minitour]

Wait...he wanted you to slip down an ILS on the instruments? Did you smack him? Or did I misinterpret?

Not down an ILS, down a LOC approach.

Didn't slap him, just refused to do any more check rides with him. So now I get to do my II and CMEL rides with "the boss". I'm not really happy about that since he's been known to fail the gear, flaps, an engine, gyros, and alternator on the instrument approach portion of the CMEL rides. The ATP rides he gives, he fails everything that can be failed....and I mean everything. He took away some guys compass last week because the guy was "being a coky bastard"...so that should be fun .

But no...you didn't misinterpret. He told me after the ride that anytime I'm doing instrument stuff, I should be slipped. He even tried telling me that my hold over the OM (which was no gyro) was wrong because I was crabbed into the wind to correct. My instructor got an earfull the next day and didn't understand why. Everything I was taught came out of the Instrument Flying Handbook...so...yeah. He's one of those "I'm the best pilot, just ask me" kinda guys.

Anyway...interesting character, huh?

-mini

 

[agpilot34]

When I did my private back in '88, I was taught to slip, and slip only. When I did my taildragger checkout a couple years later, I was taught to crab & kick, and that's primarily the method I've used ever since. 3,000 hours of flying ag and pipeline patrol ops have taught me that there is no "one" method of flying that is appropriate for "every" circumstance. I've watched low hour private pilots slip all the way down on final, with barely enough airspeed to stay in the air, and I wonder how they've kept from busting their ass as long as they have. Try it both ways, and see what is comfortable for you.

 

[Cat Driver]

AAhhhh........ Ag Flying...Best job I ever had...Bar none..


Cat Driver