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and assisted another Curtiss employee, Fred Eells, to build a Curtiss-type pusher biplane, using Kirkham automobile engine. Heath made the first short flight with this machine at Hammondsport on September 5th, 1910. Eells flew it the next day and soon both were flying quite well and making circles. Heath was so unhappy about his job with Curtiss that he quit later that fall and returned to Amsterdam, fixed up his first plane and flew a few small exhibition dates with it.
Some time during the winter of 1910-1911 Heath went to Chicago, Illinois where he established an Aero Supply Company to make parts and accessories for home builders of planes, the business being principally mail order. His first ads in the early aviation magazines of April, 1911 read: "The E.B. Heath Aerial Vehicle Company, Chicago. Everything for aircraft, parts made to order- props, hardware and materials". This was undoubtedly one of the first such aeronautical supply companies in the United States. Although small, he was able to keep the business going, then he bought out Chicagoan Carl Bates in 1912. Bates had developed some aviation engines and they were added to the Heath Catalog. 
After acquiring these engines Heath started building complete aircraft, principally for his own experimentation. During this work he reportedly built one of the smallest practical flying boats ever made. In 1916 Heath had a bad fire which destroyed his original shop, at which time he moved to a new and more desirable location and better facilities. The status of his company continued as a very small operation until after World War I when Heath, like so many others, started to buy and sell Government war surplus airplanes, motors and aviation equipment which was flooding the market at that time. This gave him a new start, and the name of his firm was changed to the Heath Aeroplane Company and he soon became more aggressive in designing and building new planes. 
In 1921 he designed and started building a biplane to use an OX engine. Completed in 1922 it somewhat resembled a Jennie but, with additional wing area and of lighter construction, it was capable of carrying more load and had a slower take-off and landing speed. Called the "Heath Favorite", the bottom surface of the lower wing was transparent and frosted. Any type of sign could be painted on it and changed from time to time. With internal wing illumination the plane