Viewing page 43 of 71

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

time as a company work horse, a number of renowned early Benoist pilots having been trained on it. On December 27, 1911 Tony obtained Pilot License No. 80 on the new Benoist Headless plane.
     Tony flew actively all through the winter months of 1911-1912 and on March 1, 1912 carried Albert Berry aloft for his celebrated second chute jump in history from an aeroplane at Jefferson Barracks Army Post. Berry dropped from 1500 ft. then Tony landed on the parade grounds amid the cheers of Commandant Col. W. T. Wood, Tom Benoist, officers and men. Following this Tony conducted the first flight tests of the new Benoist Tractor Biplane on March 15th and remained very busy through the early spring months with ten students. About June 1st he conducted first flight tests on their new Tractor on floats at Creve Coeur Lake, Missouri and on July 4th started flying exhibitions for the company at Belleville, Illinois. That summer Tony also carried a great many passengers at Kinloch Field demonstrating Benoist Planes and trying to sell aviation. He flew exhibitions at several towns in Missouri and then was a contestant at the Chicago Meet from September 12th through the 21st, fling both a land plane at Cicero, then a Tractor Mydro at Grant Park on the lake front. At Cicero he established a new American passenger carrying record, taking three men with him for several minutes. His consistently safe flying in all events at this meet won his considerable acclaim both for his flying ability and for Benoist planes. Following the meet Tony flew at the St. Louis Fair from September 23rd to 28th. In October he also flew in a Water Carnival on the river at St. Louis and began plans for his famous over-water flight from Omaha to New Orleans. On November 3rd he gave exhibitions at both Omaha and Council Bluffs. 
     On November 6th he left Omaha on the first leg of the flight to New Orleans. He reached Kansas City on the 9th and there installed a larger fuel tank so he could make longer hops. On November 17th he reached St. Louis, completing 771 miles, having made exhibition flights at many points along his route. There he was greeted by a large crowd to celebrate his having completed the longest Hydro-cross-country flight on record. At St. Louis the plane and engine were given a 
3