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were expected to fly from was very rough and filled with tree stumps. Against Kastory's advice Lewkowicz attempted to make a flight and immediately wrecked his plane, so Kastory was momentarily out of work.
Since Berger had made contracts in other cities through the south, he then made arrangements with the Kirkham Motor Company of Bath, New York, to fill the dates. As a result, aviator Fred Ells was sent to Fitzgerald, Georgia, with a Kirkham-Ells plane. Berger then asked Kastory to join his organization and he was sent to Fitzgerald to supervise the Ells  exhibitions. These were not successful due to mechanical difficulties, and the crew moved on to Waycross, Georgia, then to Briston, Tennessee, where the same troubles [[strikethrough]] followed them [[/strikethrough]] developed. At Lynchburg, Virginia,Berger discharged Ells, got in touch with the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company of College Park, Maryland, and [[strikethrough]] found [[/strikethrough]] learned they had an [[strikethrough]] aeroplane [[/strikethrough]] airplane they could send, but no pilot. [[strikethrough]] one to fly it. [[/end strikethrough]]. Berger told Kastory he would have the plane sent [[strikethrough]] IF [[/strikethrough]] if he would fly it, and Kastory jumped at the chance. He did not know how to fly, but was game to try. Again the field was very poor, with a creek running through the middle, but Kastory managed to take off in one corner of the field, jump the creek and land on the opposite side. He even carried passengers on several of these [[strikethrough]] HOPS and everyone was happy. [[/strikethrough]] hops to the satisfaction of all concerned.
Following this the Rex Smith Company recalled the plane and invited Kastory to join them, which he did on May 20, 1911. At College Park he continued his practice and in due course succeeded in making some flights on the Smith [[strikethrough]] aero [[/strikethrough]] airplane with a 100 [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[/strikethrough]] h.p. Emmerson two-cycle engine. There, during the spring and early summer, Kastory also built a new plane for the company, using a Hall-Scott engine. It was first flown in July and later used by aviator Paul peck in exhibition flying. During this time Kastory had progressed with his flying practice to the point he wanted to try for his pilot license, but the company refused his request and the use of an [[strikethrough]] aeroplane [[/strikethrough]] airplane for this purpose as they were afraid he would leave and go into the exhibition business. This irked Kastory, so he left the Rex Smith Company and went to Chicago where he joined the aviation fraternity at Cicero in May, 1912.

At Cicero he was employed by the National Aeroplane Company as a mechanic, 

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