100 to 1000 feet as he gained confidence in himself and his airplane. On the Fourth of July, he performed three aerial demonstrations at Imperial Beach before a crowd of 300–400 curious onlookers. Later that month, Walsh acquired a more powerful 40 hp Elbridge engine, which he rented from another San Diego aviation hopeful. The more powerful engine quickly gave him the confidence to take his aviation to a larger venue. Los Angeles By early September, 1910, Walsh was established at the Los Angeles Motordrome, where the Aero Club of California had established an aviation camp. Powered by his three-cylinder Elbridge featherweight, Walsh dominated a small field of fellow amateur Southern California aviators in the novice air meet held at the motordrome from 22–23 October, winning every event. Prizes included cash and trophies, including the San Diego Cup for highest altitude. The event also earned him notoriety. Soon afterward, Walsh became aligned with Macomber Aeroplane Engine Company, a local rotary engine manufacturer in Los Angeles, and replaced his Elbridge Featherweight with the first Macomber rotary engine ever built. The engine did not perform well and prevented Walsh from participating in the second Los Angeles Air Meet at Dominguez Field in late December 1910. On February 19, 1911, Walsh took his entire family flying, powered by an improved Macomber engine. Charlie, Alice, Kenneth, and Juanita became the first family to every fly together in an airplane. On March 4, 1911, Harry Harkness contracted Walsh to build an airplane for use by his chief mechanic John Kiley to learn to fly at the Harkness camp at North Island in San Diego, California. Harkness and Walsh Silver Darts Walsh delivered the plane to John Kiley at the Harkness aviation camp at North Island on April 7, 1911. According to at least one source, Walsh added "silver dust" to the unbleached muslin of the flying surfaces. This earned the aircraft the name "Silver Dart". Harkness paid Walsh $5000 for the plane, finally making him solvent. A week later, Walsh crashed his plane at Dominguez Field while attempting to qualify as the Aero Club of California's first licensed aviator. At some point, Walsh built a Silver Dart of his own. There seems to be disagreement as the whether the Walsh Silver Dart was built before or after his crash at Dominguez. Like the Silver Dart he sold to Harry Harkness, his was based on the