A Harvard graduate and race car driver, Charles Willard was one of the first flight students of Glenn Curtiss.

In 1910, at the Dominguez Hills Air Meet, he won the spot-landing contest, picking up $250 in prize money for this feat. He then worked on ground-to-air radio-telephones, became the chief engineer for Glenn L Martin, and designed flying boats with Glenn Curtiss. He remained active in aviation until his death at age 94.