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On January 27th and 28th Ely flew at the Country Club grounds, Coronado Island, San Diego, California, with Curtiss and Robinson. In February he and Willard were at Seattle, Washington, on the 4th, and at Sacramento, California, on the 5th and 6th. February 10th to 16th Ely, Willard and Clarence Walker flew at Salt Lake City, Utah, in cold weather and snow squalls.
The Aeronautical Squad, Coast Artillery Corps, National Guard of California was organized February 20, 1911, with headquarters at the San Francisco Armory. The Corps had acquired a plane through Curtiss, and Ely enlisted and offered his services to train two officers and carry on experiments in aerial scouting, photography and bomb dropping. He was appointed Aviation Aide to the Governor. On March 18th and 19th he was flying exhibitions again with Willard at San Jose, and on March 29th and 30th they flew at Pasadena where on the 30th, Ely flew over the city. On April 6th to 10th he was at a meet in Salt Lake City with Curtiss, Willard, Brookins and Parmelee. There Ely did some remarkable flying and made a great showing. April 15th and 16th he flew at Provo, Utah, at a Fair. From there Curtiss sent Ely to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, to assemble and test a new military plane being delivered to the Army. In May Ely flew at Wichita, Kansas, with Witmer and Ward on the 4th and 7th; at Kansas City, Missouri, with Willard the 12th and 14th; and Dallas, Texas, with Witmer and Ward on the 17th to 20th.
At this time Curtiss directed Ely to go to California to do some flying for Norman DeVaux, wealthy manager of hte Pacific Reo Motor Car Agency. DeVaux had just taken the West Coast agency for Curtiss planes and wanted a pilot to make an extended tour of the major cities to promote interest in flying and demonstrate planes to possible buyers. Ely started this tour at Eureka, California, on May 27th and 28th, and from then until mid-July he made flights at the following western cities: Chico, California; Medford, Salem, and Portland, Oregon; Butte, Kalispel, Great Falls, Missoula and Lewiston, Montana; Seattle, Washington and Reno, Nevada, where his flying was of unusual interest. An estimated 35,000

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