A new direction for an old thread: Crosswind landings

T o d d P a t t i s t wrote:
Touching down in a slip has nothing to do with making
landings "simpler."

No. But approaching in a slip does.

...If you don't understand why a slip is
needed in a crosswind, then you don't understand the
aerodynamics involved.

Probably true but I was actually discussing the approach technique, not
the landing. I assumed we all understood that the variations being
discussed were in the approach, not in the touchdown - especially since
the turn from base to final (a fair way before touchdown) has figured
prominently in your and 59yahoo's discussion. Sorry if I confused you
but I must say the aim of 59yahoo's rambling essays has confused me.

...
it seems to work for them. Like you, I was only ever taught crabbed
landings.

If you only know crabbed landings, then you will land
sideways every time. That's just the reality of the
physics. In a high crosswind on a hard surface, landing
crabbed is very bad.

Sorry. "crabbed landings" was intended as shorthand for "crabbed
approach to landing in a crosswind". I hope you were the only one
confused but I'm glad to sort it out.

I seriously doubt that you were taught to land crabbed.
Most likely you were taught to use a combination of last
minute rudder to align with the runway (that ,maneuver puts
you in a slip just before touchdown) and to carefully keep
the upwind wing no higher than the downwind wing.

Interestingly, the most common accident or incident "during the rollout
following a crosswind landing" (so I don't confuse anyone) is ground
contact by the UPWIND wing or pod.

GC