Does anyone teach this?

[jrh]

I was originally wondering what other instructors were teaching on this subject. I assume by the replies that only 20% or so explain the necessity for the crab or were even aware of it.

Ok, fair enough, I see what you're saying.

I'm aware of the crab, but I never include it when teaching turns around a point. As Midlife has said, I stress visualizing the circle using adjacent landmarks and remembering the relationship between groundspeed and bank angle. The crab happens naturally when flying the maneuver correctly.

 

[tgrayson]

Some people just like to dig deeper.

And I congratulate you for that. Your questions were intelligent ones and you show great insight to even ask them.

 

[nosehair]

I was originally wondering what other instructors were teaching on this subject. I assume by the replies that only 20% or so explain the necessity for the crab or were even aware of it.

I do teach the crab. As a matter of fact, I emphasize on it.

I remember when the light turned on for me as a student when trying to do turns around a point solo.

For some reason, I was attempting to fly a constant radius turn and keep the wing tip on the point.

Keeping the wing tip on the point was an unintended unconscious act of trying to do it with inadequate (or unremembered) instruction, but on the crosswind portion, I suddenly saw "Hey, wait a minute! I can't keep from blowing in by just shallowing the bank, I will blow in even if my wings are level, if I don't crab!"

So, I always point out the necessity of crabbing on the crosswind - to make sure the student gets it.

 

[lhornaday]

I do teach the crab. As a matter of fact, I emphasize on it.

I remember when the light turned on for me as a student when trying to do turns around a point solo.

For some reason, I was attempting to fly a constant radius turn and keep the wing tip on the point.

Keeping the wing tip on the point was an unintended unconscious act of trying to do it with inadequate (or unremembered) instruction, but on the crosswind portion, I suddenly saw "Hey, wait a minute! I can't keep from blowing in by just shallowing the bank, I will blow in even if my wings are level, if I don't crab!"

So, I always point out the necessity of crabbing on the crosswind - to make sure the student gets it.

Way to be a good instructor :clap:
This is just one of those things that isn't standardized very well.

As one maneuver guide at a large 141 school says, "Maintain a constant radius turn on each side of the reference line by varying the angle of bank to compensate for the wind."

It is the truth, but not the whole truth. In this case, it's not a huge deal. The maneuver will come out looking good enough. But I recall many other items I learned from instructors that were no where near accurate statements...

On a C172 preflight, "Oh that noise, it's just the avionics cooling fan."
During a lazy eight, "It is supposed to be done real quickly."

So on and so forth.