Crosswind landing

If the aircraft were landing north on a north-south runway, it would need to compensate for this easterly drift caused by the west crosswind.

This drift poses significant safety issues because safe operation of the undercarriage requires the body and track of the aircraft to be aligned with the runway at touch down.

Position is maintained by balancing the crosswind component, or more accurately the drag force arising from it, with engine thrust.

The dihedral action of the wings has a tendency to cause the aircraft to roll, so aileron must be applied to check the bank angle.

Excessive control must be avoided because over-banking could cause the engine nacelle or outboard wing flap to contact the runway/ground.

A forward slip is used whenever the aircraft is too high on approach, and there needs to be a rapid reduction of altitude without a gain of airspeed in order to conduct a safe landing.

Crab angle is removed before the touchdown in order to reduce the side loads on the landing gear of the airplane.

Sideslip is maintained by lowering the wing into the wind and applying opposite rudder just enough to prevent the heading from changing.

This technique is not recommended by Airbus because the bank angle required to fly the steady sideslip is large and places the airplane close to the geometry and roll/rudder limits.