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One June 26th the Society held a local air meet which brought out many of the planes built by members, and Curtiss made a few short straightaway hops.  Morris Park was unsuited for actual flying so the plane was taken to a large open tract of land near Mineola, Long Island, Where Curtiss started to practice for his attempt to win the Scientific American Trophy, which he accomplished on July 17th, flying nineteen times around a circular course, a total distance of 24.7 miles.

Society members Willard and Alexander Williams had been selected as the ones to be taught by Curtiss, and Willard took his first lesson on July 18th, to become Curtiss' first student.  It proved to be the only lesson he was to receive for Williams smashed up on his first trial, after which the plane was out of use for over two weeks until repairs could be made.  During this interval Curtiss left with another plane for France, to compete in the Gordon Bennett Cup Race, which left Willard to rebuild the Golden Flyer and teach himself to fly.  Determined, but careful, he soon mastered the feel of the air and it was not long before he was flying cross-country over the Long Island meadows.  His twentieth flight, on August 13th, was noteworthy when he flew over Hempstead, Mineola, Garden City, Westbury and Hicksville, but ended with a forced landing due to a broken camshaft.

About this time Willard conceived the idea of making flying exhibitions around the country to show people that an airplane could really fly, and the renowned balloonist Captain Thomas Baldwin assured him that he would undoubtedly receive favorable public reception.  The Society was interested and an Exhibition Corporation was formed to lease the Golden Flyer to Willard for this purpose, with the hopes of raising funds for experimental work and to build additional shed and workshops.  Accordingly, Willard left for his first exhibition date at Athens, Pennsylvania, to become the first barnstorming pilot in the United States.  From there he went to Richmond, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; then to Toronto, to fly at the Canadian National Exposition in late August, 1909.

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