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[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]
[[photo of pilot]]
RALPH E. MCMILLEN
Pioneer Curtiss Exhibition Pilot

Information is lacking concerning the date and place of birth and education of this man; however, he was reportedly from Perry, Iowa.  He entered the flying game when he became a student at the Curtiss Flying School at North Island, San Diego, California, in the first winter class in January 1912.
There McMillen was one of a large class of students and the chief instructor was J.W. McClaskey assisted by J.L. Callan.  His initial instruction was on an early Curtiss pusher school biplane with a 4-cylinder 40 hp Curtiss engine, and he rapidly grasped the feel of the air.  After completing his course he flew the tests for pilot license successfully and received F.A.1 Certificate #111 on March 22, 1912.
McMillen continued his flying practice and came east when the school moved back to Hammondsport that spring.  He became a member of the Curtiss Exhibition team during the early part of the summer season, then bought a Curtiss plane of his own and started flying exhibitions by himself.
September 11 to 13, 1912 he flew at Chadron, Nebraska, thirty minutes a day and on October 26 exhibited at Overland Park, Kansas City, Missouri.  On December 7 he flew from Macon to Callao, Missouri.