In December 1916, therefore, Clyde and his brothers began design and construction of the first two airplanes built in Wichita–one for exhibition flying and the other for the New York flight. The first was a single seater, the second would feature two seats–one for the pilot and one for a paying passenger. With construction of the first aircraft well underway by January 1917, Clyde obtained additional materials and began building the second ship in February.

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Despite his pleas to investors, money for the Wichita­New York City flight was not forthcoming, and the attempt was canceled. The bad news did not discourage the Cessna brothers. They continued work on both airplanes, and the first monoplane was completed and test-flown in March.

In April, The United States declared war on the Central Powers and entered World War I. Patriotism ran high, and Clyde Cessna petitioned his congressmen for funds to operate a flying school and build reconnaissance aircraft for the military. He was refused. Undaunted, the brothers continued building the second airplane.

The two-place ship was slightly larger than the other monoplanes built by Cessna, chiefly in order to carry the additional occupant. A streamlined fairing, featuring one window on each side, swept aft from the engine to the open cockpit and enclosed most of the passenger compartment. Wing-warping controls were retained, and a single kingpost assembly was used to anchor landing and support wires.

Small shock absorbers were installed on the main landing gear struts, and larger wheels and tires were fitted. An Anzani radial engine rated at 60 hp was purchased, and a new propeller design–8 feet in diameter–was made and installed.

As work on the two-place ship continued, Clyde Cessna officially opened the Cessna Aeroplane Exhibition Company's flying school in June 1917. Five eager young men were enrolled as students. Cost for the course was $400 per person, and the course of instruction would take up to eight weeks to complete.

The schedule was arduous. Students arrived at 4:30 a.m. to begin class, primarily because the air was smooth in the early hours of the morning and the winds were gentle, good conditions for the flight portions of the course. They studied engine mechanics and operation and flight control systems, as well as the theory of flight.

To teach the mechanics of flying, the 1913 monoplane with its Elbridge engine was suspended by block and tackle from the rafters of the factory building. One at a time, the would-be aviators ascended a ladder, clambered into the cramped cockpit and moved the controls in accordance with their mentor's instructions.

After the rudiments of control were learned, the airplane was moved outside to teach the students how to start the engine, taxi and begin the takeoff roll. Cessna observed his charges with a trained eye and evaluated each one for his potential as a pilot. He was planning to select the two best students as pilots for his exhibition company, which already had bookings for more than 30 flights during the upcoming autumn season.

Three of the young birdmen had soloed in the fragile monoplane by July, making takeoffs and flying straight ahead for a few hundred feet before landing.

As September approached, however, Cessna became increasingly busy with exhibition flying, and his flight-instruction time was limited. Training was frequently curtailed or canceled altogether for days. Their patience spent, the five students eventually filed a suit against Cessna, charging he had breached his contract by not providing eight weeks of instruction. The suit never came to trial, and records do not show whether a settlement was reached between the parties.

The flying school experiment had been less than successful for Cessna, but the first flight of the two-place monoplane earlier that summer was nearly perfect. On June 24, 1917, he made a short flight to check handling and performance. The ship flew well and had a small surplus of power. After a few adjustments to the rigging and flight controls, Clyde Cessna pronounced the ship airworthy.

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