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Under Mills management Hoover made his first public exhibition flights at Baldwin Park, Quincy, Illinois June 8th and 9th, 1912 during a carnival where motorcycle and automobile races were also featured. James Mills was there, and Masson and Nelson were also flying at the event. A special feature was a postal booth on the grounds where spectators could mail letters and post cards which were collected at the end of the day and taken from the field by air.

At that time a new Curtiss-type, single float hydro-aeroplane was under construction at the Mills shop. First flight tests of this plane were made on July 1st at Manhattan Beach in South Chicago, near Jackson Park, by aviator Nelson. A flying school was planned at Cicero Flying Field for land instruction and Hoover was to assist as an instructor. He remained with the Mills group that year on exhibition work at fairs and carnivals throughout the mid-west, which included dates at Hillsdale, Michigan on July 18th where he flew with Art Smith, then to Adrian, Michigan on July 20th, again with Smith. July 27th and 28th he flew at Lansing, Michigan with James Mills.

In 1913 Hoover started the exhibition season flying contracts under bookings made by the well known William H. Pickens flight promotion agency. Touring the Fair Circuit he flew at Rockford, Illinois August 22d and 23d using a Curtiss-type pusher biplane powered by a Kirkham engine. While there he flew to Davenport, Iowa and return. September 24th and 25th he exhibited at Wheaton, Minnesota, then went to Manistee, Michigan, and from there to Gaylord, Michigan September 30th and October 1st. October 8th to 10th he flew at Angola, Indiana.

In early November Hoover was back at Cicero Field, Chicago, where he installed a 50 H.P. Gnome rotary engine, with a new Flottorp propeller. Following some test flying of the new engine and propeller he prepared to leave for the south for the winter season. On November 15th he exhibited at Alexander City, Alabama, then flew at Live Oak, Florida November 19th to 21st at an Agricultural Fair. From there he flew at Jacksonville, Florida for three days, then at Palatka, Florida December 11th and 12th. On December 17th he was at Madison, Florida, then back to Jacksonville where he serviced and tuned up his plane. After the southern winter season he returned to Chicago during the early spring of 1914.