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1908. In June of that year he came to the United States to work for the Herring-Curtiss Company, Hammondsport, New York, where he did drafting and designing of motorcycle and aircraft engines for Glenn Curtiss and Captain Thomas Baldwin through 1909. There he also witnessed the aircraft program of the Aerial Experiment Association. 
   Oliver Thomas, also a British Engineering graduate, had come to the United States before William, as an engineer in the test laboratory of General Electric at Schenectady, New York.
   In late 1909 William "got the bug" to build an aeroplane at Hammondsport. Working in a barn he started the construction of a biplane of his own design, embodying many new and unique ideas. With the help of two local mechanics, Bert Chambers and Gene Bell, and a few hand tools, this was a slow labor of several months. This first machine had a wing span of 27 feet, with front elevator, rear stabilizer and rudder. A unique aileron arrangement was mounted between the front and rear outer struts,[[strikethrough]] with a wide [[/strikethrough]] The wide landing gear [[strikethrough]]with [[/strikethrough]] had long skids and four wheels mounted on leaf springs. The propeller was driven by a 22 [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[/strikethrough]] hp., Kirkham automobile engine through chain and sprockets having a 1-1/2 to 1 ratio. The total weight was 600 pounds.
   After the plane was completed William moved his operations to Hornell, New York in the spring of 1910 and started ground tests and flying experiments on the Page Farm near North Hornell. Following the usual taxying practice, he made his first brief straightaway solo hop on June 28th, 1910. During this period he found that the engine did not have enough power for extended sustained flight until changes were made to increase the output. In August a former friend and Curtiss employee, Walter E. Johnson, joined William and began assisting in this work. Johnson was eager to learn to fly and also began taxying practice. With gradual engine changes to increase power his first solo flight was made at Hornell on September 7th, 1910 and included a circle. Evidently after this William turned the major part of the flying over to Johnson, [[strikethrough]] however [[/strikethrough]] but he continued to fly when he personally wanted to conduct certain tests himself. 
   In October an invitation was accepted to make exhibition flights during a fair at Stow Park, Binghamton, New York. This was the first public exhibition of their 
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