May 23, 1943
Sun 7:30
Dear Folks:
Well it is Sunday again. Our easy day. We had it pretty easy yesterday too. It rained about all day. The only thing we had in the morning was our 2 hrs of ground school. In the afternoon we talked to our instructors for about an hour and then we were dismissed. The first part of this week I will be having my accuracy stage. This is the same as the solo stage except we must land on a certain spot. So you see I have to put that old plane down just right. We will make 5 landings. If I can get the first landing in the right place I will be okay. It all hinges on where we make our next to last turn. I’ll show you what a traffic pattern is like and then maybe you will know what I am talking about (see drawing on original letter)
Well that’s the idea except it is a little out of proportion. That down wind leg is really a mile or two away from the field. See? It is really just a question of judgment on distances.
Of course it isn’t always as simple as it looks because sometimes we have to land kitty corner to the field.
My 20 hr check will be coming up any day now too. Some of the boys have had theirs already.
Friday when I went up alone my instructor told me to practice stalls. I climbed up to 3500 ft to practice and I found myself right in the middle of the clouds.
You can bet I got out of there in a hurry. I couldn’t see a thing when I was in that cloud. It was just like being in a real thick fog except the fog was moving. We aren’t supposed to get above the clouds. I put that old plane into a power glide and went down to practice S turns etc.
The upper class men are leaving here Tues so we will be changing barracks soon.
I think we will be flying 2 1/2 hrs a day this week. I’m telling you that flying really tires a person. It isn’t the work but it’s because you get thrown around so much. First on one side, then the other side, then straight up, and then straight down. I haven’t flown upside down yet but I expect to get that soon.
My watch is giving out so I will have to buy a new one. A watch is a very essential thing in this flying. We must have the exact time of our take-off and the exact time we shut the switch off.
I have about 17 hours in the air now. You know in civilian life it costs about $20 an hour for learning to fly.
Well I suppose it is spring up there. Down here it seems like the middle of July sometimes. I hope all you folks are feeling fine. I suppose you are a little behind on the work because of the rain you have been having lately. Rain puts us behind too.
Yours truly,
Alva
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