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Ralph E. McMILLEN

Pioneer Curtiss Exhibition Pilot


      Information is lacking concerning the date and place of birth and education of this pilot but 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 a school early Curtiss pusher biplane with a 4-cylinder, 40 [[crossed-out]] -horsepower [[/crossed-out]] h.p. Curtiss engine.  He rapidly grasped the "feel" of the air, and after completing his course, he flew the tests for pilot license successfully and received F.A.I. Certificate No. 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 26th exhibited at Overland Park, Kansas City, Missouri.  On December 7th he flew from Macon to Callao, Missouri.
      On January 1, 1913, he was at Moberly, Missouri; then on February 16th he flew from Lexana to Kansas City, Missouri, under contract with the Young Aviation Company, his booking agent at that time.  April 19th and 20th McMillen flew at Claremore, Kansas, with Robert Fowler.  On May 30th he flew at Kansas City, Missouri, with Glen Tate and William