Major, I have to strongly disagree with you. I rarely if ever use a crab on final; I use a sideslip, mostly because it is a more precise maneuver, and you are already lined up with the runway centerline as you cross the threshold. My primary instructor taught me to do this, and also to use a forward slip if necessary to bleed off altitude. Crabs are fine, but IMHO are a much less advanced maneuver. We need to differentiate between a sideslip, which is much more gentle than a forward slip, and a forward slip, which is used to rapidly bleed off altitude. They both become one and the same with a crosswind. Neither condition is unsafe if performed properly, and they are both very useful. BTW, honestly unless your passenger is a fellow pilot, they will never know the difference.

You said:



Are you a full-scale pilot? If so, then you need a new checkride, because my FAA examiner required that I sideslip and perform a forward slip to landing as a part of my Private Pilot checkride- and it is still definitely taught in the schools and advocated by flight instructors nationwide! There is a reason that full scale aircraft have throttles and Airspeed Indicators, so that the pilot doesn't get into a deadly situation by being low and underspeed- whereas you can be just as up the creek by crossing the runway threshold and having your nose pointing at the tiedowns. And how about the fact that even if you ride the crab all the way down, and "kick it out" at 10 ft, you still have to slip a bit to compensate for the crosswind!

Now granted, not all of this is applicable to model planes, which generally allow for a lot more slop in technique. I just think that if you value your model (or your life and that of your passengers if you're out in the 172 or whatever), then it behooves you to learn and become proficient with every flight mode possible. The only source of fear is ignorance- and besides, its FUN!!