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Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay. Then an hour or so later, he took off from the Pennsylvania and flew back to the Air Meet. This flight was a prediction of the practicability of the aircraft carrier. During the Meet Kerns made several short straightaway hops, then on his last attempt had a bad smashup, wrecking his machine, but he was unhurt. While he did not earn any prize money he had undoubtedly gained much valuable firsthand experience through his association with professional aviators.

Following his return home Kerns set about rebuilding his plane, then on July 3, 1911, Eugene Ely made exhibition flights at Chico and raced an automobile driven by E. R. Stevens. After completing the repairs Kerns started a cautious effort to teach himself to fly, even though a persistent jinx seemed to pursue hum, he determinedly stuck to his task and gradually began to make some short flights. On October 25th he made a fine flight of over five miles, including two large circles and landed in front of his home on the Warm Springs Road. He continued to practice and on December 25th made an eighteen-minute flight, reaching an altitude of 1,500 feet.

Kerns continued his flying practice and the improvement of his plane in 1912, then twoard late summer started making parts for a new airplane. This was completed in Berkeley and assembled at Sunset Flying Field, Alameda, California, in early September. In was another Curtiss-type pusher biplane of improved construction, using a 50 hp., 4-cylinder Roberts two-cycle aviation engine. Kerns started flying this new plane at Sunset Field on September 22nd. First trials were successful and he announced his intention to continue his flying activities there for some time. He remained at the Field through November, then was a contestant at the Tanforan Air Meet at Tanforan Park, San Francisco, on December 26th and 27th. Also, flying at this event were: Lincoln Beachey, Tom Gunn, Silas Christofferson, Robert Fowler and Roy Francis. At this Meet Kerns flew capably and put on a good show. On both days he and Fowler "played tag" with each other, to the great amusement of the audience.

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