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That spring the Thomas School gained the distinction of being granted a charter by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to give instruction in the care and use of aeroplanes. On July 26th Frank Durnside almost broke the then existing American Altitude Record when he reached a height of 11,450 feet at Bath in a Thomas machine fitted with a new Curtiss OX engine.
Some of the graduate students bought planes that year and left to fly exhibitions on their own. [[strikethrough]] and [\strikethrough]] The brothers brought out their first Thomas flying boat in the spring and entered one in the Great Lakes Cruise from Chicago to Detroit to be held in July. The machine was of 33 foot spand and 27 feet long, weighing 1,180 pounds, and powered by a 70 h.p. [[strikethrough]] H.P.[[\strikethrough]]  Kirkham engine. [[strikethrough]] with a weight of 1,180 pounds. [[\strikethrough]] Due to severe storms and mechanical troubles Walter Johnson and Earl Beers were prevented from competing in this event. Frank Burnside, Ralph Brown, Earl Beers, and Arthur Blasair were retained by the company and were busy that season instructing and flying exhibitions at fairs and centennials through the eastern and central states.
As 1913 ended the brothers were working on a new improved flying boat using a 6-cylinder 70 h.p. [[strikethrough]] H.P. [\strikethrough]] Kirkham engine that was later replaced by a 90 h.p. [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[\strikethrough]] Austro-Daimler. [[strikethrough]] engine. [[\strikethrough]] Walter Johnson left the company and Frank Burnside took over as chief pilot. Burnside left Bath on January 24th, 1914 with Fansto Rodriguez for an extended exhibition and demonstration tour of Cuba and the Caribbean countries where he remained until late April. On May 14th, 1914 William Thomas became a member of the Aero Club of America. During that spring Thomas pilot Palph Brown made demonstration flights of a new flying boat in the vicinity of New York on the Hudson River, where he carrier many distinguished passengers. The Thomas Flying School was continued and Frank Burnside taught a number of notable pilots, including Charles Fay who later was on the Thomas Company staff for some time. During the year Ralpha Brown was made Factory Superintendent at Bath and gave up active flying to take a supervisory part in the manufacturing end of the business.
In 1914 the war clouds of World War I were developing and a European market for military aircraft was gaining impetus. In order to expand they needed additional facilities not available in Bath, so at the invitation of the Ithaca Board of Trade
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