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September, 1909 Mars made the first airship flights seen in British Columbia when he operated a power balloon at Victoria [[strikethrough]] . Canada [[/strikethrough]] for three days for Charles Strobel. He also made on night flight there on September 21st. 

At the first Los Angeles Aero Meet, held at Dominguez Field January 10 [[strikethrough]] th [[/strikethrough]] to 20 [[strikethrough]] th [[/strikethrough]], 1910, Mars made balloon ascensions every day carrying passengers. [[strikethrough]] He portedly [[/strikethrough]] He met Curtiss at this event and became very interested in flying. As a result Mars later went to Hammondsport to see Curtiss, with a recommenation from Baldwin, and Curtiss taught him to fly from teh ice of Lake Keuka during February and March, 1910. [[strikethrough]] weather permitting [[/strikethrough]] He was an apt pupil and grasped the feel of flying quickly. On the second day he made a number of short flights and in four weeks becamea member of the team of Curtiss exhibition pilots. He made his first public flying exhibitions at an air show at Memphis, Tennessee, on April 10th to 14th with Curtiss and Charles Willard. Still a student, he was flaying a 25 hpy 4 cylinder. Curtiss machine, and for a beginner did remarkably well. On the last day of the meet his plane was swerved by a gust of wind in landing, he hit the top of an automobile, badly damaging the plane, and [[strikethrough]] Mars [[/strikethrough]] was himself severely bruised in the [[?]].

On April 20th to 25th Mars flew in a meet at San Antonio, Texas, with Curtiss, Willard, and Hamilton. Then on May 28th to 31st he flew at Joplin, Missouri, with Willard, and June 7th to 9th at Topeka, Kansas, alone. He attempted to fly from Topeka to Kansas City, a distance of 60 miles, but was forced to land at Grantville. After correct the trouble he started again but was soon forced to give up at Midland. June 18th and 19th he was at Louisville, Kentucky, with Curtiss and Hamilton, and on June 22nd to 25th at Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, with Curtiss, Willard and Ely. He then flew at Sioux City, Iowa, June 29th to July 1st with Ely, and July 16th and 17th at Grand Rapids, Michigan, alone. July 23rd to 28th he was at Omaha, Nebraska, with Curtiss, Ely and Willard, and August 4th to 6th was at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Curtiss and Capt. Baldwin at the Brunot Island Race Track. On August 19th to 28th he flew at an air meet at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track, Long Island, [[strikethrough]] New York [[/strikethrough]] with Curtiss, McCurdy, Willard and Ely. There Mars carried.

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