April 13, 1943

Dear Mom, Pop, Avis, Shirley and Marie,

Yesterday I received letters from all of you including Pop's. I feel pretty proud getting the only two letters that Pop wrote in twenty years.

Everybody down here is dead on their feet when 8 o'clock comes around. At this moment I've got my eyes propped with toothpicks.

It's a good thing the ground school is half-way east because we don't have time to study. Last night we had school up until 9:15 and lights go out at 9:30. The odd part about it is that everybody stays awake for hours worrying about their flying and when they are going to wash out. Six more guys washed out today, That brings our percentage up to 30% and things have just started. At least I go to sleep when I go to bed. If I wash, I wash.

I soled three days ago. It's quite a thrill when your instructor hops out and says take her away but don't forget to ride that right rudder, don't ground loop, stay straight with the tee, be sure to look, make 90 degree turns, don't lose altitude in your turns, watch your tachometer, be sure to put your flaps down, don't get your base leg out too far, if you land short and find a fence in front of you don't forget to pour coal to her and go on around. It you make a bad landing, pour on the juice and take-off. These are just about one tenth of the things your not supposed to forget and at that moment you're so thrilled of the chance of being alone, you're not even listening to him.

I just love flying. I'm hoping to stay. Today a guy stalled, that means he lost flying speed, that's about 60 miles per hour. He was still thirty feet off the ground. He just dropped straight down and smashed the hell out of the plane. It didn't hurt him a bit. A lot of the boys ground loop after they land. This is just that they don't keep the plane straight when they hit and swings around at about 50 mph. This does not hurt the plane or pilot. So far I've gone into spins, recovered, stalled with the power on and off and recovered and a number of other turns, banks, etc.

Lights out in five minutes. I still have to make my bed. Clean sheets tonight!

As ever

Al