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ing the winter months of 1908-1909, Willard assisted Beach in building an [[strikethrough]] monoplane [[/strikethrough]] airplane patterned somewhat after the French Antoinette monoplane, but nothing of note came from this project.

About this time the Society decided to purchase an [[strikethrough]] aeroplane [[/strikethrough]] airplane to promote flying, and during January, 1909, they entered into a contract with Glenn Curtiss, who was to build and deliver a plane, and instruct two members to fly it. This was the first commercial plane built by Curtiss, and he delivered it to the Society on the 16th of June. This plane, named the "Golden Flyer" by the group, was quite an improvement over earlier Curtiss planes, but still retained the front elevator and was equipped with a 4-cylinder 25 [[strikethrough]] H.P. [[/strikethrough]] hp., water-cooled engine.

On 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 [[strikethrough]] students [[/strikethrough]] 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 [[strikethrough]] one [[/strikethrough]] lesson he was to receive for Williams smashed up on his first [[strikethrough]] lesson immediately [[/strikethrough]] 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[[strikethrough]]ly [[/strikethrough]], 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.

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