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Old September 20th 06, 07:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.student
Robert M. Gary
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Default Rudder for final runway alignment (?)

Even in calm winds pilots use the same techniques to "slide" over to
the runway they use in a cross wind. In truth you probably don't know
if your lack of alignment is a result of cross wind or poor roll out.
The two techniques used are "crab" in which you hold the nose into the
wind and the kick it out before touch down and "slip" in which you hold
the up wind wing down and hold the nose in ailgnment with the runway
using rudder. There are pro's and con's to each. The "crab and kick" is
pretty much the only way to go in aircraft with swept back wings
because they aren't excited about slipping and taught by ex-military
and airline instructors. The "slip" is pretty much the only way to go
with light tailwheel planes because it takes near superhuman ability to
straighten these aircraft on the runway after an upset as extream as
the "kick". Planes in between can go either way.

-Robert, CFII