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Island, New York about May 1st, 1911, [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] Matilda started to take flying lessons that month from instructor Andre Houpert.  Moisant-built single-seat Bleriot-copy machines were used for primary training, powered by 3 cylinder, 30 [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[/strikethrough]] h.p., Anzani engines.  Harriet Quimby and F. deMurias were also taking instruction there at the same time.  Matilda received verbal ground instruction from Houpert and literally taught herself to fly in a single seat plane with ground advice.  Taxi work, then hops, gradually became short flights, and eventually she circled the field.  The Anzani engine would over heat, terminating extended flying. [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]]  By July Matilda was advanced to planes powered by 50 [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[/strikethrough] h.p. Gnome rotary engines, when she began to venture out on cross-country jaunts around that area.  She continued her practice there and obtained F.A.I Certificate No. 44 on August 13, 1911 at Mineola, to become the second licensed woman pilot in the United States, Harriet Quimby having won her license on August 1st. 

By September Matilda was flying [[strikethrough]] well [[/strikethrough]] capably and on the 6th made a cross-country flight, passing over the Meadow Brook Hunt Club and Wheatley Hills. [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] On September 8th she made another flight out from Hempstead.  September 10th she was up to 1500 feet on an extended flight, then became a competitor at the Nassau Boulevard Aviation Meet on Long Island, held September 24th to 30th.  This was a large event, with several United States and foreign aviators attending.  There Matilda did exceedingly well and won the Wanamaker Trophy for the highest flight by a woman during the event, variously reported at between 2000 and 5000 feet.  Together with Harriet Quimby, their flying attracted much attention.

Matilda continued her flying practice on Long Island during October, and late that month she left for Mexico City, [[strikethrough]] Mexico [[/strikethrough]] with Andre Houpert, Harriet Quimby, George Dyott and Captain P. Hamilton for an exhibition engagement there.  This was a celebration in connection with the inauguration of President Francisco Madero, starting November 16th and lasting for several days.  There the two women pilots attracted great attention and applause for their daring and skill, and Matilda was awarded a cup by the Spanish Colony.  Following this the troupe [[strikethrough]] reportedly [[/strikethrough]] flew at other points in Mexico, then returned to New York.

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