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On April 9th, 1911 Brodie carried Katherine Stinson and Mrs. Charles Coey as passengers, the first women to fly in Chicago. He continued to carry passengers that month and began booking exhibitions. In June Brodie was the most active pilot at the new Cicero flying field. On June 30th he had a minor smashup when the engine quit as he was making a banking turn near the ground, but he was not injured. On July 4th he flew in a small local flying meet at Cicero. Also flying were Dan Kramer, Allan Lockheed, Harry Powers and Willie Lenert. Brodie remained very active at Cicero for the 1911 season and carried passengers extensively. On August 24th he flew at Independence, Missouri at a Fair. During this entire period Rudolph W. Schroeder was Brodie's mechanic. In late December Brodie and Harry Powers left to operate a winter flying school at St. Augustine, Florida. There, in addition to the school activities winter resort passengers were carried. Reportedly they also had a Bleriot monoplane there in addition to the Farman.

They returned to Cicero in April, 1912 and Brodie flew in the usual season's opening day meet on May 30th. Flying also for this event were Max Lillie, Farnum Fish, Paul Studensky, George Mestach, Lloyd Thompson and Andrew Drew. Brodie remained very active at Cicero during the 1912 season. On June 2nd he flew his pilot license tests at Cicero on his 50 Gnome Farman biplane and on June 19th was granted license No. 135. In July he conducted the initial flight tests on the new Smith Monoplane, with a 6 cyl. Smith radial engine, and continued to fly this plane occasionally for the balance of the season. He also flew a Curtiss biplane some that summer. During the summer and fall he engaged in the exhibition flying at various suburban Chicago areas. Brodie entered and competed in the 1912 Chicago Flying Meet at Cicero in September, and that fall started the Standard Aviation School at Clearing, Illinois, using the grounds formerly used at the Gordon Bennett Race Course, still using the Farman Plane. He had a small class which he continued to instruct as late as fall weather

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