I always enjoy sitting at the hold at LGW watching the incoming aircraft landing in the usual moderate and slightly turbulent southerly crosswinds we often experience there.
It always strikes me how serene and in control they look as they float gently by, sometimes dipping the upwind wheel as they flare, feeling for the tarmac, and at other times simultaneously firmly planting both bogies on terra ferma in a great puff of blue smoke.
This serenity contrasts with my own experiences of the cockpit landing a B738 on the same runway in the same conditions. The word frantic precedes the touchdown and something called relief follows quickly therafter as the centreline is regained. I'm sure many will admit to the same emotions.
When I started out flying the B738 - my first medium jet - I tried the de-crab in the flare method because, in theory, it seemed more natural. On my limited experience I have to say I found it very tricky. My stick and rudder technique was simply not good enough and the only way of improving is doing.
As with all things aeronautical practice makes perfect, but in my experience it's only when the crosswind component reaches and exceeds 15 knots that a proper technique is required. I would suggest that at typical B738 landing speeds, the more commonly found 10 knots of crosswind hardly requires much of a technique because the crab is very limited and drift minimal.
On the rare occasion I encounter a good 15-20 knots across the runway, with my relatively low hours on type, I therefore find the hardest part of the technique is judging the correct amount of rudder and aileron to correct the crab and keep the wings level while also flaring the aircraft enough to provide a reasonably firm touchdown without risking a float.
As we airline pilots only touch the rudder on take off to maintain the centreline and in engine-out scenarios in the sim, getting the feel for a relatively aggressive de-crabbing and flaring maneouvre at low speeds and so close to the ground is tricky. I'm sure the experienced pilots on here will cite this as yet another example of the loss of handling skills in pilots, but I'm just being brutally honest. In the meantime, I hand fly as much as I can to remedy this shortfall.
I've watched a number of far more experienced pilots landing the B738 in moderate crosswinds and reckon the most commonly used technique is the sideslip as described in the FCTM. If I see the de-crab in flare technique on the line it invariably involves a late flare and very firm touchdown, especially on a wet runway.
For the moment, I find 'stretching-out' the de-crab and flare using the sideslip technique and accepting the slight drift is better for a pilot of my experience level. If this relegates me to the kindergarten of flying, so be it. As I get more experience of the aircraft and moderate crosswinds I expect to contract the manoeuvre until it's more akin the 'ace' de-crab in the flare technique beloved of my esteemed colleagues.