Viewing page 25 of 35

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

two more planes, one for A. J. Brackett of Boston, the other for A. C. Menges of Marion, Indiana, the latter to be equipped with a 70-horsepower Gnome engine. A. V. Reyburn, of St. Louis, Missouri, then ordered a plane with a 100-horsepower Emerson engine. The plane for Brackett was given first flight tests by Haupt on July 28. These first two planes were so successful that the new firm built and sold four more to sportsmen aviators during 1911. During that season Haupt continued to fly for the firm and on occasion Andre Houpert also did some test flying for them. 

Over the winter months of 1911-1912 they kept busy and built two or three planes for spring delivery, one with a 75-horsepower Roberts engine which was sold to Z. H. Garcia, who later exported it to the Dominican Republic. In April, 1912, they announced a 2-seater, dual-control plane to be used as a school machine. At the 1912 Aero Show held at Grand Central Palace May 9th to 19th they had a display. It was stated that their planes and parts were as good, or better, than any French-built equipment yet seen in this country. 

In midsummer Hild decided he wanted to learn to fly and at Garden City, Long Island, proceeded to teach himself on one of their single-seated Bleriot planes with a 4-cylinder Roberts engine. By early August he was flying capably and kept up active practice for the remainder of the 1912 season. On October 27th he made a half-hour cross-country flight over Westbury, Mineola, and Hempstead, Long Island. He did some flying during the winter months of 1912-1913 as weather permitted, and on February 13th flew cross-country to Floral Park and return, circling Garden City and Mineola. Enroute he encountered engine trouble, landed in a field, corrected his trouble and took off, returning to Hempstead. On February 16, 1913, he made eight flights, again flying over Mineola, Westbury and Garden City. Hild now had an enclosed cockpit for winter flying. 

On February 28, 1913, Hild received F. A. I. License No. 216 at Garden City, flying a Roberts-Four Bleriot, to become the first person to qualify

2