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Stadlman as his mechanic.

During the winter of 1913-1914 Stadlman joined E. B. Jaeger and L. Z. Howell in designing and building a new flying boat. Known as the Howell machine, it was a short hull, pusher biplane using tail outriggers with side-by-side seating and a Hall-Scott engine. About March 1st they petitioned the Evanston City Council to operate a flying boat airline along the lakefront for the summer, from Evanston to the South Shore Country Club, with stops at Chicago Beach, Grant Park and Wilson Avenue. Harry Powers joined the venture as company pilot, the plane was completed in April and operations began in May. On June 7th Stadlman had a smashup while flying this plane over the lake off Lincoln Park, but aside from a thorough ducking he was not hurt except for a few cuts. He had installed tubes in the step of the hull to assist in a quicker takeoff and wanted to make a test hop to see if this had made any improvement. The machine planed quickly and took off after an unusually short run, and after flying over the lake for a considerable distance he misjudged his height above the water in alighting and overturned, wrecking the plane. The accident occurred in view of throngs of people on the North Shore beaches. Seeing the crash Jack Vilas immediately went to Stadlman's aid in his Curtiss flying boat, carrying C. M. Vought as a passenger. Stadlman was removed from the wreckage and taken ashore by Vilas. Stadlman was removed from the wreckage and taken ashore by Vilas. At this time Stadlman was an active member of the Aero Club of Illinois and was on their committee to inspect planes at Cicero Field for airworthiness. Among the Aero Club members at that time were many of the city's leading businessmen and internationally known industrialists who had become interested in aviation.

Following the Howell flying boat venture Stadlman and E. B. Jaeger formed the Estay Aero Corporation, Chicago. Also associated with them were R. J. Hoffman and Harry Powers, and reportedly they started the construction of a Gyro-motored military-type tractor biplane designed by C. M. Vought.

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