Viewing page 6 of 20

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

was soon disappointed because the company pilots were away flying exhibitions so much of the time he received very little instruction, so he worked in the shop helping build planes.

On the 4th of July a shortage of pilots for exhibition dates developed and the company sent Tweed to Conesus Lake, New York with a Hydro to fill a date there. Knowing he had not soloed they instructed him to taxi around the field then "fake" engine trouble. He tried to do as he was told but accidentally went too fast and was in the air and climbing before he knew it. Tweed kept his head and successfully flew the plane for some little distance, managed a turn, then closed the throttle and made a good landing. Overjoyed, he made three more short flights that day and remained at the Lake to complete the contract. Tweed continued his practice and reportedly that summer bought a Thomas Hydro with Kirkham engine. He did some additional exhibition flying for Thomas Brothers that summer and in January, 1914 bought a Blasiar Flying Boat with Kirkham engine.

He flew exhibitions on his own during the early part of the 1914 summer season and made some flights along Long Island Sound for the Shoreline Electric Trolly Company. On August 1st that year Tweed started a passenger carrying business at Madison, Connecticut, on Long Island Sound, using his Kirkham-powered Blasiar Flying Boat, where he remained through the fall season. In 1915 he continued flying exhibitions and carried passengers. In May, 1916 Tweed became Assistant Instructor for Walter Johnson at the new Philadelphia School of Aviation at Easington, Pennsylvania, remaining there that season. 

As World War I approached in the spring of 1917 Tweed enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman 2nd Class, and was sent to M. I. T. for a special aviation course there. Following this he was assigned to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, where he obtained his Navy Wings as Lt. J.G.  He served there as an instructor for a time then was sent to Panama where he helped build the Naval

2