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During 1911 he devoted some time to the design of engines and some of his work was published in aviation magazines of that time. Later he reportedly built another engine experimentally for aircraft use. In the winter of 1911-1912 he went to Panama with James H. Hare, one of the staff photographers of Colliers Weekly, and A. L. Welsh, to investigate the possibility of making aerial photographs of the Canal Zone then under construction. The Collier Wright was boxed and taken along in case it was decided to abandon the idea and the project was dropped. 

During the winter months Collier purchased a second Wright plane, equipped with floats, which was delivered early in the spring. A hydro haven and hangar were built for it at Seidlers Beach, New Jersey, and when all was ready Walter Brookins came to give Collier and Oliver some instruction in water flying on the new plane. The land plane was still kept in commission at Rest Hill, and on May 18, 1912, Oliver flew there for his license, No. 145, on the Collier Wright. Mr. Collier, who was then President of the Aero Club of America, and W. Redmond Cross were his observers. He continued to fly actively throughout 1912 for Mr. Collier, on both land and water planes, making cross-country flights to and from various New Jersey beach resorts, carrying passengers. On July 4, 1912, he carried a sack of authorized mail from South Amboy to Perth Amboy, the first air mail in the state of New Jersey. 

Apparently Mr. Collier gave up the sport of aviation after that season and Oliver quit active flying and retired to a farm in Maryland for a time. He then took up the machinery business and patented various machine tool devices. For ten years, from 1926 to 1937, he was President of the National Tool Company at Cleveland, Ohio, later retiring. 

On April 9, 1948. after a lingering illness, he died at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He was buried April 8th in Arlington Cemetery with full honors. He was survived by his wife and two daughters. 

A true flying pioneer, Oliver G. Simmons helped the very start of all 

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