The amount of ‘crosswind-control’ required coming down final, decreases as you get closer to the runway, due to the lessening of wind speed as a result of ground friction.

After the student becomes very proficient in the ‘crosswind technique’ then they can be switched to the ‘crab-down-final’ method, which is, as mentioned by others, much more comfortable.

One reason why so many private pilots are so bad at handling crosswind landings is because they had poor instructors who allowed them to use the ‘crab method’ early in their training while coming down final, thereby cheating them of the immensely valuable practice gained while cross-controlling ALL THE WAY DOWN FINAL.

Students should also be taught to expect to be ‘WACKED’ by a nasty wind just before touchdown and just after touchdown. Being taught to expect this, keeps the student on guard, and helps prevent them from becoming complacent just when they think they’ve got it made.

Once the upwind wheel touches down, the good pilot rolls the control wheel completely into the wind, to avoid getting blown off the runway by any pesky gust. Takeoffs for students, SHOULD ALWAYS BEGIN with the control wheel full into the wind; with the student bringing the control wheel back ‘toward’ neutral as wind conditions allow during the takeoff roll; but only going to full neutral just as the wheels leave the ground.

Poor crosswind takeoff and landing instruction is why we have so many crosswind takeoff and landing accidents.

On a related note: Wind speed on final decreases noticeably two times as far as I can detect; once at about 50-100′ agl and once at about 10-20′ agl. You can observe this phenomena when on final during the evening or early morning when thermals are absent so that you have very smooth air, coupled with a light wind.

Stabilize the airplane decending down final, crabbing in a TRIMMED-UP, HANDS-OFF STABILIZED DECENT to the runway using rudder for directional control and power to hold your decent line to the runway — now watch the nose of the airplane.

While it looks like you may be able to maintain the decent perfectly to the runway under such conditions, you will see the nose drop noticeably at about 50-100′, and once you get re-stabilized you will see it drop again at about 10-20′. This is a phenomena all student pilots should be made aware of.

I will also admit to making blunders 1 & 2 several times in a 12 kt crosswind a few days ago, though I’m hoping that will be a “nevermore” once I apply these admittedly simple techniques.