Glenn Hammond Curtiss came to be known as "The Father of Naval Aviation" and "Founder of the American Aircraft Industry". He was a remarkable engineer, beginning his career as a successful motorcycle manufacturer. Curtiss was a fierce competitor, entering and winning many races and keeping up with competition from firms such as Harley Davidson and Indian. He used this competitive nature to continually better his manufacturing of engines, which opened doors for other opportunities in engine building. In 1903, Thomas Baldwin utilized a Curtiss engine to power his dirigible (or blimp), which became the first successful dirigible in the United States.