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Anzani engine overheated. In early July she advanced to the 50 H.P. Gnome-powered p1 planes, then began to really make extended flights. Later that month she flew her license tests and received F.A.I Certificate No. 37 on August 1, 1911, flying a 50 Gnome Moisant-Bleriot monoplane at Mineola, Long Island, New York and thrilled 20,000 people, then that evening made a flight in bright moonlight. She continued her almost daily practice at Hempstead during September and was a contestant during the first part of the Nassau Boulevard aviation meet on Long Island starting September 24th. She won a cross-country event there, then completed the month flying at the Interstate Fair at Trenton, New Jersey, ending September 30th. 
For the remainder of 1911 she flew as one of the Moisant exhibition troupe.
In late October Harriet left for Mexico City, Mexico with Andre Houpert, Matilda Moisant, George Dyott and Captain P. Hamilton for an engagement there.
This was a celebration in connection with the inauguration of President Francisco Madero. The event started on November 16th, was a several day affair, and while there Harriet became the first woman to fly over Mexico City. Following this the troupe reportedly flew at other points in Mexico, then returned to New York.
[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE[[/stamp]]
Apparently Harriet left the Moisants at that time and early in January, 1912 started to make plans for a trip to Europe to attempt a flights scross the English Channel. By March 7th she was on her way with letters of introduction to Louis Bleriot and the news agencies. Her venture was sponsored by Leslie's Weekly, and Harriet wanted to buy a new French-built Bleriot plane of her own. In London the Daily Mirror assisted with her plans and in France she purchased a new two-seat 70 H.P. Gnome-powered Bleiot monoplane. After some practice the plane was shipped to Dover, England where she took off and flew the Channel alone on April 16, 1912, landing in France at Hardelot near Boulogne, to gain fame as the first woman to fly the English Channel.
In May Harriet was back in the United States flying her machine at Mineola under the management of flight promotor A. Leo Stevens. She planned to fly a 
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