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[[stamp: FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE]]

MORTIMER F. BATES

Early Moisant Monoplane Pilot

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Mortimer F. Bates was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota August 24, 1883. He attended local schools, then Beloit, Wisconsin Academy in Mechanical Engineering. He then entered Alexander Hamilton Institute in Business Management, then Brooklyn College of Commerce in Industrial Management. 

Becoming interested in aviation he helped assemble and test aircraft engines for the Wright Brothers in Dayton, starting in 1909. Later he was determined to learn to fly and joined the Moisant Flying School at Garden City, Long Island, New York about September 1st, 1911. There he learned to fly a Moisant Bleriot-type monoplane, with a 35 H.P. Anzani engine, from company instructor Andre Haupert. Bates flew his tests for pilot license on October 15th and obtained F.A.I. Certificate No. 66, dated October 18, 1911. 

He continued his flying practice and remained with the Moisant Company through 1912. That year, he was the Chief Instructor at their school and reportedly flew some exhibition dates. 

In the spring of 1913 Bates joint the Curtiss School at Hammondsport, New York where he took a course of flying boat instruction from instructor Wildman. 

In 1914 Bates designed, built and flew an experimental parasol monoplane for Alex Laughlin of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

In early 1915 he was employed by the Sperry Gyroscope Company of Brooklyn, 

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