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[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]]

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JOHN GUY GILPATRIC
Pioneer Long Island Monoplane Pilot - Instructor

John Guy Gilpatric was born in New York City, January 21st, 1896, and attended Columbia Grammar School. While still in school the rapidly advancing art of aviation fascinated him and he read and reread everything he could find on flying. He attended all the early aviation actives in the New York area and became determined to learn to fly. 

As a result he enrolled as a student at the Sloane Flying School at Hempstead, Long Island, New York in July 1912 at age 16. In the class also were W. I. Twombly, J. S. Herbert, T. E. Steptoe, Guy Morton and W. E. Roberts. Gilpatric started training on a single-seat French-built Deperdussin monoplane powered by a 3-cylinder 30 H.P. Anzani engine. He received verbal ground instruction from company instructor George Dyott, but virtually taught himself with no "in the air" dual instruction. Later Dyott left and instructor Leonard Bonney completed Gilptric's course. 

Gilpatric was an unusually apt pupil and by mid-August was making extended flights and advanced to the 6-cylinder 65 H.P. monoplanes. On September 15th he flew his license tests, giving a fictitious age, and he was granted F.A.I. Certificate No. 171, dated September 25th, 1912. While still an advanced student he was made Assistant Instructor at the Sloane Company, and during October he was instructing and carrying passengers at Hempstead.