Very interesting to read the dialogue of 40-50,000 hours of flying - wow.
I've a fraction of that and you guys have probably forgotten more about flying than I'll ever learn.
The crab technique is the one thing I still do just as I was taught in 1993, keep the crab on into the flare and then when you feel the sink, smartly remove it with the rudder.
I have only flown a relatively small amount of trikes, nothing complicated or hot, but it has served me well in all of them.
IIRC, my instructor was much more concerned that I recognise the sink and remove the crab smartly, than worry about drift, but I guess that fits with Chuck's comment about the later you correct, the less you need to worry about drift.
I know how to do a wing down approach (and it works just fine), but am so comfortable with the crab that I just stick with it.
Please keep the interesting posts coming gentlemen, it is a privilege to read them.
Chuck, it seems a long time since you brought a very large 4 engined prop into North Weald
(or was it a Cat - or both?)