Crab

A wind correction technique in which the pilot angles the nose of the aircraft into the wind to maintain a desired ground track. The aircraft's heading differs from its course by the wind correction angle, and the nose points slightly into the wind while the aircraft tracks straight over the ground. Crabbing is used throughout all phases of flight, including en route navigation and crosswind approaches. On final approach in a crosswind, some pilots maintain a crab until just before touchdown and then transition to a side slip (the "de-crab" technique), while others use the wing-low side slip method throughout the approach.