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BERTRUM B. ACOSTA

Early Curtiss Pilot - Instructor - Test Pilot

Bertrum B. Acosta was born at San Diego. California, January 1, 1895, the son of a California mining engineer. He attended local schools and developed an early interest in mechanical things. After racing cars and motorcycles he took an immediate interest in the first flying that came to the San Diego area in 1910.

When Glenn Curtiss started his aviation experimental station at North
Island that year, Acosta at once attached himself to the camp where he soon became a sort of mechanic's helper. Eventually. Curtiss took a liking to him and gave him encouragement. With the help of three neighborhood chums. Acosta built a Curtiss-type plane with a 30 h.p. engine which he used to partially teach himself to fly. Gradually he became a more valuable mechanic at the Curtiss camp and was given the opportunity to do grass cutting practice on the school machines, then was given some flying instruction by Theo. C. Hacaulay.

Acosta continued his work as a mechanic and junior aviator until 1912 when Curtiss induced him to go to Throop Polytechnic Institute, Pasadena, California. to further his education. but he continued flying at every opportunity. He assisted in the development of Curtiss land and water planes at North Island and gradually became a very competent pilot.

In the late spring of 1915, Curtiss and J.A.D. McCurdy formed the Canadian Curtiss Company at Toronto, Canada, and a flying school was established there to train Canadian World War 1 Cadets. A number of American Curtiss pilots were immediately employed as instructors and Acosta was transferred from California as one of them. The school grew rapidly with both land and water instruction and a large number of students were taught during the flying season.

That fall the Toronto School was closed for the winter and Curtiss transferred Acosta to the newly formed school at Newport News, Virginia, as an instructor. with Captain T.S. Baldwin in charge. In addition to his instruction