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Kearney was in St. Louis, Missouri, in the early spring of 1911, where he bought a secondhand Farman biplane, without engine. Obtaining a Hall-Scott 60 h.p. engine, he startled every one at Kinloch Field on April 17th by immediately taking off and going into a series of steep banks, then landing [[strikethrough]] ed [[/strikethrough]] with a terrific bump, breaking a number of wires. He continued to practice at Kinloch Field, then decided to undertake exhibition work. His first engagement was at Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on May 27th where he had a minor smashup. He then contracted to fly every Sunday afternoon for the El Dorado Resort Hotel at Creve Coeur Lake, Missouri, during the summer months. On June 28th he had a bad smashup, completely wrecking his plane, which resulted in his being on crutches for about three months.

As soon as he was able he started flying for Tom Benoist, using a Benoist copy of a Curtiss pusher powered with Kearney's Hall-Scott, engine, and flew at the State Fair grounds, St. Louis, on October 8th. Kearney continued to improve his flying at Kinloch during the late fall and reportedly received some instruction from Benoist. On October 28th he tried to fly for his license test but failed, as he did not follow the prescribed course. Flying actively through November, he continued flying at Alton, Illinois, in early December and then on December 26th, still flying his Benoist pusher, he qualified for his license with ease at Kinloch, obtaining Certificate No. 83, which was granted January 10, 1912. A. B. Lambert and Thomas Benoist officially observed his tests.

Kearney left St. Louis on January 5th for Los Angeles, California, where he entered his plane in the air meet at Dominguez Field, held January 19-28, 1912. This was a large event, and Kearney's first such engagement. He made a good showing, entering most of the major contests, flying his own plane. At that time he also started booking engagements from a San Francisco address. Before leaving Los Angeles for the Oakland meet on February 5th, Kearney signed with the Curtiss Exhibition Company for the 1912 season, but at the Oakland event from February 17th to 25th, he used his own Benoist machine. There he flew across

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