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Johnstone's engine began throwing oil badly and he was quickly drenched. Partially blinded, he made a hasty bad landing and wrecked the landing gear, but was not injured. This misfortune put him out of the remainder of the event.

Returning to Long Island Johnstone resumed practice and on May 22nd won a silver trophy offered by J. J. Lanin, owner of the Garden City Hotel, for the first local aviator who flew three circuits over a course between Mineola and his hotel. At the time Johnstone was flying regularly around the Long Island flying field and soon "stole the spotlight" among the local aviators. He raced trains, flew over polo games, med cross-country flights and at times seemed to be trying to establish an altitude record. On June 4th he made a fine 30 minute flight at 4,500 feet, and on the 25th flew in a small local air meet at Nassau Boulevard with several of the local aviators.

On June 30th he was in Detroit, Michigan for an exhibition engagement July 1st to 4th. On the evening of his arrival he made an extended flight over the business section of the city, then crossed the Detroit River and flew over Windsor, Canada. His fine flight made headlines in the papers the next morning and promoted great interest in the aviation meet to follow. Also flying at the event were Moisant pilots Rene Barrier, Rene Simon and John Frisbie, but Johnstone's flying was the main attraction. On July 1st he flew to Pontiac, Michigan and return, and for his excellent flying was given $2,500 by the automobile manufacturers.

Johnstone flew in a benefit meet at Mineola, Long Island on July 16th with several local aviators, and on July 30th established a new United States endurance record of 4 hours, 2 minutes, flying a course between Mineola and Westbury, Long Island, to eclipse Parmelee's pervious record of 3 hours 39 minutes. Johnstone had intended to stay up longer but a gas tank leak terminated the flight. He then flew at Augusta, Maine on August 9th, the first flights ever made in that state. During his engagement there he flew 25 miles above the Kennebec River on a cross-country jaunt.

From Augusta Johnstone shipped his airplane to Chicago, to fly in his home town