airplane no longer flies along that track. The horizontal component of lift is directed toward the low wing, drawing the airplane sideways. This is the still-air, headwind or tailwind scenario. In case of crosswind, the wing is lowered into the wind, so that the airplane flies the original track. This is the sideslip approach technique used by many pilots in crosswind conditions (sideslip without slipping). The other method of maintaining the desired track is the crab technique: the wings are kept level, but the nose is pointed (part way) into the crosswind, and resulting drift keeps the airplane on track. A sideslip may be used exclusively to remain lined up with a runway centerline while on approach in a crosswind or be employed in the final moments of a crosswind landing. To commence sideslipping, the pilot rolls the airplane toward the wind to maintain runway centerline position while maintaining heading on the centerline with the rudder. Sideslip causes one main landing gear to touch down first, followed by the second main gear. This allows the wheels to be constantly aligned with the track, thus avoiding any side load at touchdown. The sideslip method for crosswind landings is not suitable for long-winged and low-sitting aircraft such as gliders, where instead a crab angle (heading into the wind) is maintained until a moment before touchdown. Aircraft manufacturer Airbus recommends sideslip approach only in low crosswind conditions. Sideslip angle The sideslip angle, also called angle of sideslip (AOS, AoS, , Greek letter beta), is a term used in fluid dynamics and aerodynamics and aviation. It relates to the rotation of the aircraft centerline from the relative wind. In flight dynamics it is given the shorthand notation (beta) and is usually assigned to be "positive" when the relative wind is coming from the right of the nose of the airplane. The sideslip angle is essentially the directional angle of attack of the airplane. It is the primary parameter in directional stability considerations. In vehicle dynamics, side slip angle is defined as the angle made by the velocity vector to longitudinal axis of the vehicle at the center of gravity in an instantaneous frame. As the lateral acceleration increases during cornering, the side slip angle decreases. Thus at very high speed turns and small turning radius, there is a high lateral acceleration and could be a negative value. Other uses of the slip There are