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pilot. He had not [[strikethrough]] as yet [[/strikethrough]] soloed when his new boat was finished and taken to the lake for test. Curtiss took it out for the first trial, then told Vilas he could taxi it. While doing this it took off with him, but he kept his head and got it down safely. After more instruction Vilas flew his pilot license tests on June 5th, followed by flying to Penn Yan and return. His tests were approved and License No. 6 was granted on June 25th to become the first person in the United States to be licensed on a flying boat.

His machine, which he called the L.A.V.I was one of the finest produced by the Curtiss Company to that date. The hull was wider than usual, finished in Nile green outside and dart mahogany inside. Special attention had been taken for ease in getting in and out, and all metal fittings were silver plated. Seats were upholstered in dove corduroy and the entire cockpit was the equal of a fine automobile. Curtis asked permission to ship the machine to New York for an exhibit at the Hotel Astor for the week of June 16th to 21st and Vilas agreed. Following the showing he gave the first demonstrations of a flying boat in the New York area at the Westchester Country Club where he carried several prominent passengers.

Immediately after this the machine was shipped to St. Joseph, Michigan and from there Vilas made the first flight across Lake Michigan to Chicago on July 1st, 1913 carrying a St. Joseph hotel man, William Baster, as passenger. The distance of 56 miles was flown in 1 hour, 10 minutes, landing at the Chicago Yacht Club at Grant Park. After flying at Chicago the balance of July the boat was shipped to the Vilas summer home at Oswegatchie, Point in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. There he introduced the flying boat to that resort area for the remainder of the 1913 season, during which time it was in almost daily use, hauling food and supplies, calling on friends and carrying passengers. By October he closed the season after an estimated 3,500 miles of trouble-free operation. The boat was then shipped to Hammondsport for a factory overhaul. Reportedly, a former Curtiss student, G. H. Luther, assisted Vilas with his flying operations that season.

In the spring of 1914 Vilas took delivery of a new Curtiss flying boat at

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