Hi all,
I'm a newb approaching my first solo, and I've got a bad habit I can't seem to break.
Whenever I'm on final, I instinctively want to crab backwards :ugh: I always want to rudder into the wind.
Is there some cure for that, or is it something you just lose over time?

You'll soon get over it when you realise you're meant to land on the large strip of ground with numbers painted at either end. Not two fields away. ;)
The aim is to get the runway as a constant picture in front of you; use your controls and throttle to achieve that. If you are drifting left and find that your control inputs are making you drift further left... use the opposite controls. It will come with time.

Maybe I mis-understand you, but isnt that what you are supposed to be doing on final? Crabbing into the wind so that your track over the ground is lined up nicely with the runway with a contant decent keeping the 'picture' contant in the windscreen???

Regards, SD..

SD, I believe he means his technique of crabbing; using rudder into wind, whereas if I remember right the most effective - or at least, most recommended - way of crabbing is to aileron into wind, and opposite rudder if needed...

AerBabe said it in one :ok:

Now I'm confused. Sounds more like a sideslip. Isn't crabbing the technique of just pointing your a/c into wind to prevent drift and so maintain the centre line? There is no need for rudder or aileron specific to the crab method, at least not as I have experienced it.

Thinking about it, I imagine if it weather-cocks too much then maybe a little opposite rudder maybe needed.

I've always used aileron into wind and opposite rudder.

This maintains your approach and keeps the runway centreline where it's supposed to be ,with power/elevator controling the aircrafts attitude. Probably more of a combination of all 4.

I think this may be what GS27 means by "backwards". If it is, it would seem like a "backwards" manouver but it's actually just crossed controls and a form of slidslipping the aircraft. If you're not comfortable doing it near the ground- and who wasn't at first-then ask your instructor to show you how it's done at 3000 feet.
I think you'll find that doing the manouver without the big black strip looming ahead of you may solve your problem.

I wish someone had showed me proper slidslipping before I tackled Xwinds

Good luck.

What Half-baked said.
I have to make a conscious effort to force myself to aileron into the wind and opposite rudder. I instinctively yaw into the wind to negate my drift, and it drives my instructor loony.

Dude, that\'s a great idea!
I should take a hop and practice it. The field I fly out of *always* has a crosswind, and the entire runway is about as wide as the paint on a \'real\' runway.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

Ahhh, what you are trying to do is what is generally termed the wing down approach to land in a crosswind, which is continued to flare/touchdown.

The method I described is the crabbed approach, which is the other method, which involves straightening up and flaring all at the same time at touchdown.

Sorry if I confused you, now I understand your problem!!

I havent really thought about the actual mechanics of flying a crosswind approach/landing for a while as I tend to just do it without thinking about it. I guess this echos Aerbabe's comments in that although Landing/crosswinds appear very hard at first, it will eventually "click" and as such it will all sort of happen naturally and you also wont think about what you are doing, but will just do it!!

Regards, SD..:ok: