Viewing page 19 of 20

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

an apt pupil and flew his tests for a pilot license on December 31st, obtaining F.A.I. Certificate No. 282, dated January 14, 1914.

Hutchinson then started at once taking the water flying course on flying boats from instructor Francis Wildman. Also taking this course were C. E. Fisher and W. N. Sharpe.

During 1914 Hutchinson tried both mining and the movies for brief periods, but nothing of note came from either attempt. he then [[strikethrough]]assisted[[/strikethrough]]helped Ovar Mayarhoffer build a flying boat in San Diego which they flew at San Diego Bay and gave some exhibitions in the area in 1915. Later that year Hutchinson [[strikethrough]]assisted[[/strikethrough]]helped Benjamin Levene build a flying boat in Coronado, and during this period met William T. Cook, a balloonist from Texas.

In 1916 Hutchinson taught Cook to [[strikethrough]]fly[[/strikethrough]] pilot an airplane, then joined with him to form the Davenport School of Aviation at Davenport, Iowa. The school was established on the banks of the Mississippi River and they started with two land planes and a flying boat. This venture turned into a successful operation, and they trained a number of students and did barnstorming in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.[[strikethrough]]A[[strikethrough]] Late that fall they moved the school and equipment to New Orleans, Lousiana for the winter months.

[[strikethrough]]There[[strikethrough]]The school was on Lake Pontchartrain and was operated very successfully until March, 1917, when a very bad tropical storm one night. Their flying boat was tied down at the lake and the following morning Hutchinson attempted to fly the badly water logged craft with a student. They took off and flew some distance but when Hutchinson started a turn the propeller flew apart, the engine tore loose from the engine bed, he lost control and made a bad crash landing. The plane sank but the two flyers were rescued by duck hunters in a power boat. [[strikethrough]]While operating the school[[strikethrough]] Hutchinson taught C. R. "Ole" Oleson of Iowa, who went on to make flying his lifetime career and become a renowned pilot.

That spring the oncoming World War I put a stop to their venture, so Hutchinson returned to his former home in Philadelphia where he soon joined the Essington flying school as an instructor. This school was taken over by

2

Transcription Notes:
I'm unsure about the formatting changes that the author made, but I did it as best as I could.