Curtiss designed the famous June Bug and became its test pilot, undertaking most of the proving flights. He was the recipient of U.S. Pilot's license #1 from the Aero Club of America. The flight of the June Bug propelled Glenn Curtiss and aviation firmly into public awareness.
As a result of Curtiss' early success, The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company became the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world during World War I and went public in 1916 with Curtiss as president. Curtiss had become the world's largest aviation company with 21,000 employees(18,000 at its Buffalo facility and 3,000 at its Hammondsport, NY location.) They produced 10,000 planes during World War I, more than 100 in a single week.