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After this event the Dixon's repaired their airship and appeared at various points during the summer of 1910, including the Boston-Harvard Meet at Atlantic, Massachusetts, held September 3rd to 13th, but his ambition to become an aviator was rapidly robbing him of interest in the airship. At this event Dixon had a harrowing experience when his engine stopped at considerable altitude and the wind started blowing out to sea. There was a great concern for his safety at the time he had reportedly made over 225 airship flights.

In the spring of 1911 Dixon apparently abandoned the airship entirely. He was determined to learn to fly an airplane and signed up as a student in the first spring class at the Curtiss School at Hammondsport, New York. In the same class were "Gink" Doherty and Lt. J.B. McClaskey. He was taught to fly by Hugh Robinson and evidently also received some instruction from Curtiss. He was entered in the Metz Aviation Meet, near Waltham, Massachusetts, held June 15th [[strikethrough]]and[[/strikethrough]]to 20th, with Curtiss plane and also an airship. This was undoubtedly his first public airplane flight [[strikethrough]]but[[/strikethrough]]and on one of his first takeoffs he smashed the plane. He did, however, make several airship flights during the event. He continued his flying practice, and in late July was at Nassau Boulevard, Long Island, where reportedly Earl Ovington gave Dixon some additional instruction. On August 6th he obtained F.A.I. License No. 43 at Nassau on a Curtiss biplane.

He evidently became a member of the Curtiss Exhibition Team, and on August 27th flew at Kenosha, Wisconsin, with James Ward. Starting September 1st he flew for one week at a fair at Grand Island, Nebraska, and raced an automobile at the local track. September 11th and 15th he flew very successfully at Huron, South Dakota. [[strikethrough]]then[[/strikethrough]] On September 30th he was at Helena, Montana, and flew across the Continental Divide at 7,000 feet to Blossburg and return, receiving a $10,000 prize. That evening he was give a place of honor at a banquet celebrating the event.

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