Dear Mom, Pop, Jerry Mary, and Mat,
Guess what?! No I didn't have the chicken for dinner.... I didn't win a hundred bucks but ah........ at last, at last I soloed. What a thrill! What a sensation! What a ......... I don't know what to say. It was just swell.
This morning it all happened. Did I feel great when my instructor asked me, " Do you think you can take it up yourself?" There was only one answer and I certainly gave it to him.
He gave me a few last minute instructions then jumped out of the airplane. I cleared myself for the traffic, taxied into the runway, gave her the throttle, picked up the tail and raced down the runway. What a sensation as the plane picked up speed. I hung on the aileron controls for dear life and had my feet firmly on the rudder pedals. As soon as the air speed indicator showed 60 mph I slowly pulled back the wheel and the plane floated so gracefully into the air.
No kidding, you will never realize what a thrill it is to fly until you have actually done it yourself. I did a few maneuvers and then prepared for a landing.
I came into the traffic pattern, assumed the proper distance from the runway, cut the motor, started my glide and slowly circled in for a landing. I was going swell until some jerk cut in front of me. I could have killed the son of a gun. I slowed my glide, let him slip in front of me and then followed his plane in for a landing. Everything was working out perfectly until my plane became caught in his prop wash. I was about 25 feet off of the ground at the time. My left wing dipped about 45 degrees, the plane rocked back and forth, and I was down to ten feet before I gave her the throttle. That straightened her out. Oh my heart was in my mouth for that one second. The darn plane was heading for the ground at 70 mph so you can well imagine the thrill it was. ( As Bobby would say, " I came through in true Chellis spirit".) After correcting for wind drift, resuming my glide I set her down like laying a baby in a mother's arms. Boy, did I feel good. You could have hit me with the Rock of Gibralter and I would have kissed you.
I taxied over to the side of the runway and met my instructor. Poor guy was shaking. He was mighty pleased as to the way I handled the plane so he told me to take it up again, if I wanted to. That was a silly question to ask me.
I taxied her out to the runway, gave her throttle and again I was in the air. Didn't have a bit of trouble this time. Matter of fact, I made a perfect three point landing.
Up here they have a little ceremony for each cadet the solo's. I was to be no exception as my friends very plainly put it. Half way back to school the bus stopped and this began the simple but thorough ceremony.
There is a little creek that runs under a bridge, about five feet high above the water. It is as dirty as can be, since the mud at the bottom is like paste. The boys very obligingly removed my shoes, emptied out my pockets and four of them grabbed my arms and legs. In another second, was flying thru the air minus a plane this time. My "friend??" Gene Cole made sure that they gave me a little twist before they let go and boom I hit the water flat as a pancake. Oh was I wet. My clothes stuck to me like glue as I waded in the mud , out of the water. Everyone enjoyed themselves, but I was freezing. Oh it was great. Now I can laugh when their turn comes. The worse part of it all was standing in the bus on the way back. As soon as I got back to the school, I changed to dry clothes a felt like a million bucks. This is a day long to be remembered.
Dad I don't know if you have received my card I sent two days ago. If you haven't will you order two of those pictures of myself in the whites and send them to me.
I am glad to hear that McWilliams came in. Too bad, he didn't come in sooner then may be I could have seen him.
I had better stop now. I have so many letters to write it isn't even funny.
Your loving son, brother and nephew,
Jim
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