Darlings,
Well, I stayed in this week no money-I wonder if they’ll ever pay us. Oh, well, I have some time to write and study my navigation problems.
I have nearly 6 hours now. I’m beginning to feel like one of the boys now. My instructor is attempting to teach me landings. I sometimes wonder if I will ever learn anything. So far he hasn’t given me a pink slip (three pink slips on consecutive days means an elimination ride) one of the A/C’s in our group has received two pinks in a row. He’s worried to death-poor guy. There are so many things to watch up in the air. The wings must be level, altimeter at 500 feet, not 503. Or any altitude he designates.
If your nose climbs a little steep you can expect a scream from the front cockpit. Your head must be moving constantly. Watching for the planes. The instructor has a rearview mirror-placed on the wing so he can see every move you make. Sometimes I get so angry at my mistakes-I cussed myself for making such crazy mistakes. I’m trying my darndest to fly that ship and not let that ship fly me. If you get behind up there then you’re done. I never realized there was so much to learn about flying.
Yesterday the motor conked (quit). My instructor yelled “give me those controls.” I thought he had turned the motor off himself. He had a field picked out in a minute. We made a good landing considering the field was very rough. I didn’t get scared until everything was over. My instructor said that was the first time the motor had conked since he had been stationed at Rankin. Maybe I’m a jinx-
Love Jim