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Harry N. Atwood

Early Wright Pilot, Instructor and Cross Country Flyer

Born at Boston, Mass, Nov 15-1884, he entered the Wright School at Simms Station, Dayton, Ohio, in early May, 1911 and was taught by Cliff Turpin and Frank Coffyn. After 18 lessons he joined the Burgess Co., Marble-head, Mass. on May 29, as instructor and Company pilot demonstrating new planes. He flew in the local Meet at Metz Field on June 15-20, and took his Father and other passengers for rides. 

Their students at that time were: A. A. Merrill, Dr. Percy L. Renolys and Eugene Heth. Atwood started at once specializing in cross-country flights, first around Boston and vicinity, then on June 20th he flew from Boston to Pittsfield, N.H., 137 miles, carrying newspaper reporter, Phillips W. Page, who later became a renowned pilot. On this trip they visited several small towns on their return to Boston. 

On June 30 he flew from Boston to New London Conn. to attend the Harvard-Yale rowing re-gatta, then decided to fly on to New York, which he did on July 1st, landing enroute at Astoria, L.I. for gas and directions. From there he flew over Manhattan and cir-cled the Singer Bldg. and then around the Statue of Liberty, landing at Governors Island. This was the FIRST flight ever made "over" New York City. At that time he had been flying about a month and was 28 years old. Burgess met him in New York and gave him a check for $1,000 as a surprise. 

From New York he decided to go on to Atlantic City, N.J., arriving there July 4, 1911, where he did considerably flying and carried several passengers. While there he met Chas. K. Hamilton, another pioneer aviator, and Atwood invited Hamilton to fly to Washington with him by way of Baltimore. They landed at College Park, Md. July 11th. The week of July 15th he was the "aviation attraction" of Washington and vicinity, as he flew down Pennsylvania Ave., circled the Washington Monument and the Capital Dome. On July 14th he flew from College Park and landed on the south lawn of the White House and paid his respects to President Taft, then took off and flew back to College Park. While there, he also demonstrated a new Burgess Plane to the Army men at College Park. Total mileage on this trip was about 460 miles. 

On July 12th he announced his intention to attempt a flight from Chicago to New York, and at College Park he flew for his Pilots License, No. 33, dated July 13, 1911. On August 14, 1911 he started from St. Louis, Mo. on his way to New York, stopping first at Springfield, Ill. and then at the Chicago Meet, which was in progress, at Grant Park, Chicago Ill. On August 15th he flew on to Toledo, Ohio, making one stop at Elkhart, Ind. From Toledo he flew to Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo, Auburn and Nyack, N.Y.