Crabbing: Why The B-52’s Landing Gear Swings 20 Left Or Right Of Center

A crabbed landing is performed during crosswind when an aircraft is landed by pointing the nose of the aircraft into the wind on landing. The name comes from how crabs walk sideways on the beach (crabs face one direction but walk in a different direction). As the nose of the aircraft points into the wind, the aircraft moves towards the runway. B-52 Stratrofortresses can’t perform crabbed landing like normal aircraft. The way B-52s perform a crabbed landing is unique and is one of the many unique features of the B-52.