A new direction for an old thread: Crosswind landings

Bruce Hoult wrote:

If you want, you can side slip and when close to the ground use the
ailerons to level the wings. You are then in precisely the same
situation as if you crabbed and then kicked in rudder, except that
levelling the wings is probably easier and less critical than precisely
timing and judging a bootfull of rudder.

I think both are equally hard/easy in timing. Levelling the wings and
yawing straight both start the aircraft moving sideways across the
runway/strip and require the same accuracy of timing.

Judging the required control input is different. You used the phrase
"use the ailerons to level the wings". Why didn't you say "use rudder
to yaw the glider straight"?

The colourful phrase you actually used - "a bootfull of rudder" - from
an instructor has probably caused more students to find crosswind
landings difficult than any other aspect of the manoeuvre. Do you teach
the final part of a slipped landing as "shove the stick over"?

In my experience, old multiengine pilots like to crab and use rudder.
Old single engine pilots like to slip and use aileron. Which technique
is used just reflects the tribe you give your allegiance to. Both of
them work well if taught properly.

GC