Sept. 12, 1943
Sun. 8:00 P.M.
Dear Folks:
Here it is Sunday again. We had to fly today too. All I got was one hour of solo acrobatics. I got checked out in acrobatics yesterday. I gave my instructor a pretty good ride too. I also had some formation flying. I really did good on that. So far I have been flying this plane better than I ever flew a B-t. Tomorrow I will start on instruments. I don’t like that. But instrument flying is the best insurance a pilot can carry. If a flyer can fly on instruments, he will be okay if he gets caught in bad weather. Otherwise he is just out of luck.
I got a letter from Dort with those pictures of Jim and Meredith and that calf and also of Ma and Dad. Boy Jim you look like you have grown some. You look pretty husky.
It has been getting pretty cool nights down here lately.
Yesterday I was up to 17,000 ft. This was just so I would know how to use my oxygen mask. We have to use that above 12,000 ft. The temp was about 32 degrees Fahrenheit up there.
This AT-6* is a nice plane to do acrobatics with. I can do better acrobatics with it already than I could with a B-T.
Well folks I guess I better close. I have some school work etc. to do.
Yours truly,
Alva
P.S. Oh yes, I sent my class book and a couple pictures today. Let me know when you get them.
P.S. I guess Dort must be 17 now. My my and one of those big seniors too. Say that’s quite a school you have Meredith. 4 kids! Wow.
*The T-6 Texan is an American single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots during World War II and into the 1970s.
Ancestors Across the Ages 