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experience in flying the earlier planes, Curtis started taking advanced instruction on a Burgess-Wright hydro from company pilot Clifford Webster in August. As a result he soloed on September 4th after only two and one-half hours of actual instruction. For the remainder of the season he continued to do considerable flying for pleasure, but did not apply for a license. On October 5th he flew a hydro over the Essex Country Club at Manchester, Massachusetts. From the air he watched his sister, Miss Margaret Curtis, complete the final hole to win a local golf championship.

In 1913 three new planes were developed: a twin float, Coast Defense hydro with a fuselage and two chain-driven propellers, their first flying boat for the U.S. Navy, using a French-built Renault engine; and later, a special flying boat for the wealthy sportsman, Robert Collier. In September the company acquired the exclusive American manufacturing rights for the unique, inherently stable, swept-wing tailless English Dunne airplane. Curtiss and Burgess went on to further develop this remarkable airplane and manufactured it for some time. Also that year the company designed and built a special floating hangar for sportsmen. It was fitted with all the necessary conveniences for handling, housing and repairing seaplanes, and included living quarters for aviator and mechanic and [[strikethrough]]it[[/strikethrough]] could be towed to any desired location for duty at any time.

In January, 1914, the company name was changed to the Burgess Company, dropping the name Curtis to avoid confusion with their competitor, Glenn Curtiss. The Burgess Company organization remained unchanged and Curtis' expert engineering s[[strikethrough]]c[[/strikethrough]]kill continued to be a major company asset. In 1914 they developed the Dunne hydro and flying boat models and produced a number of them. At this time they had considerable military business and also sold a special water plane to the wealthy New York [[strikethrough]] S [[/strikethrough]]sportsman, Vincent Astor.