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decision to go to Hammondsport about mid-October to see Curtiss about getting in to the flying game. He wanted to learn to fly, but this was before Curtiss had started a flying school and Hamilton was informed that there was no plane available, so he could not be taken on as a student.

With that settled, Curtiss left town on a business trip but Hamilton remained, and very shortly a new plane was completed at the factory and hauled out to the [[strikethrough]] shed [[/strikethrough]] hangar at their flying field. Hamilton watched for his chance and, without consulting any one, took the plane out alone on October 29th and succeeded in making several short flights before the men at the factory knew what was happening. The next day Hamilton was back at his practice when Curtiss [[strikethrough]] appeared on the scene [[/strikethrough]] returned and [[strikethrough]] caught [[/strikethrough]] saw him. Curtiss was furious, but also inwardly amazed, for it was obvious that Hamilton was an instinctive, natural born flyer. As a result Curtiss allowed him to stay and gave him some [[strikethrough]] assistance [[/strikethrough]] instruction. He learned quickly and on November 1st made six flights, the longest of over 25 minutes, then Curtiss hired him to fly exhibitions. Hamilton [[strikethrough]] continued his practice and [[/strikethrough]] flew his first exhibition date for Curtiss at St. Joseph, Missouri, on December 18 and 19, 1909, where he made three flights in snowy, stormy weather. On December 26th to 30th he was at Overland Park, Kansas city, Missouri, making three flights a day. [[strikethrough]] for eight days [[/strikethrough]]

January 10th to 20th, 1910, Hamilton flew at the first Los Angeles Air Meet from the newly opened Dominguez Flying Field with Curtiss, Willard, Clifford, [[Harmon?]] and [[Paulhan?]]. There [[strikethrough]] he began to really get his stride and made a great showing with [[/strikethrough]] Hamilton's flying compared very favorably with that of the more experienced [[strikethrough]] men [[/strikethrough]] pilots. From there he flew at the Coronado Polo Grounds, San Diego, California, January 24th and 25th. on the 24th Hamilton [[strikethrough]] undoubtedly [[/strikethrough]] made [[strikethrough]] the first inter-continental [[/strikethrough]] an international flight when he flew from San Diego to Tijuana, Mexico, and return. In February he flew at Bakersfield and Fresno, California, and Phoenix, Arizona. In March he was in Washington State and on March 12th had a smashup at Seattle which put him in the hospital for a few days.

Hamilton was at Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 25th to 28th making three flights a day. On the 26th he made what was probably the first cross-

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