Dear Folks,

We had a dust storm and then a thunder storm this afternoon and we were suppose to fly from 3:00 til 6:00 P.M. but we were grounded. It was the worse dust storm I have ever seen out here. We had all the windows and doors closed but even then it was even clouded with dust inside. Outside you couldn’t see three feet in front of you, everyone was going to dinner in gas masks which worked fine.

Dad, thanks alot for the air mail envelopes I received them this morning, also received your letter of the 12th & 13th and I certainly did enjoy them. Thanks also for sending the checks, I don’t know for certain yet if Zoe is coming this weekend or not, I imagine train room is alittle hard to find. It seems like I am always thanking you for sending me something.

I sent you a telegram yesterday, I hope you received it O.K. I did want to let you know that I had soloed. It was really a thrill and something I’ll never forget. You don’t have a chance to be afraid until it is all over with. We went up about 7:30 A.M. Sat. and shot about 5 landings and I bounced every one. He was so mad at me I thought he was going to throw me out of the plane. After one landing he told me to taxi to the edge of the field. I though he was really going to give me hell but instead he climbed out and told me to take it around. I took it around three times and made three of the best landings I have ever made. Long John just said I had satisfied him so I guess it couldn’t have been too bad because he is the hardest person to please I have ever seen. Up to date I have 7 hrs. & 47 min. of dual time in and 33 min. of solo time. From now on the time will mount up alot faster because in a few days we will be flying 2 and 3 hrs. every day. Last Fri. one of the cadets in the upper class bailed out. ^[1]Jack H. Overman was flying a Boeing Stearman PT17, No.  41-7873, 8 miles north of Paradise Valley, Arizona. Following a stall, the he bailed out. The plane crashed and was wrecked.He was practicing spins and he went in to a reverse spin. He got rattled and jumped when there really wasn’t any need for it. These planes will come out of just about any maneuver by themselves if you will just get off the controls and relax. The boy is up before the washout board so it is hard to say what he will get. The worse trouble with these planes is that they ground loop without any reason at all.

I went into Phoenix and saw Mr. & Mrs. Perkins this weekend. Really had a very restful weekend which didn’t do me any harm at all. A boy went in with me by the name of Lenard Burgess. He is from Nevada and we had a swell weekend.

If you want me to send the newspaper clipping back let me know. It’s almost bedtime so I had better close. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom