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About this time Willard conceived the idea of making flying exhibitions around the country to show people that an [[strikethrough]] aeroplane [[/strikethrough]] 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 sheds 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, [[strikethrough]] Canada [[/strikethrough]] to fly at the Canadian National Exposition in late August, 1909.
     
At Toronto he found he had been assigned an almost impossible place from which to fly. It was necessary to take off from a narrow strip of ground between buildings and out over Lake Ontario. The space between the buildings was so narrow it allowed only enough room for his plane, with but little clearance at the wing tips. Concerned, but not to be beaten, Willard made a wooden trough on the ground, with a skid on his plane, to follow the trough to guide him safely out between the buildings. On his first attempt to fly he lost the ground compression effect under the wing as he passed over the lake retaining wall and settled just after takeoff. The day was overcast, causing the water and ground to look alike, with no horizon, forcing him to fly out over the lake for a short distance, unable to judge his height, which resulted in [[strikethrough]] a landing [[/strikethrough]] alighting   in the lake. It took five days to get the plane in shape for another try and this time he made a successful takeoff and a good flight. He had intended to land on the beach, but his flight attracted so much attention that it was soon packed with spectators and again he was forced to land on the water. He flew up and down the beach trying to pick out the best landing spot but it was impossible to judge the depth of the water near the shore and he landed in four or five feet of water, he and his machine settling in up to his neck. On his third flight attempt the engine went dead with ignition trouble just after

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