He came into prominence at an Indianapolis meet, on June 14, 1910, where he made a new world's record for altitude of 1,335 m (4,380 ft).

[3] On 29 October 1910, Brookins flew the new Wright Baby Grand, a clipped-wing, V8-powered flyer to compete in the Gordon Bennett Trophy competition at Belmont, New York.

In front of the grandstand during the official timing, the aircraft lost half its cylinders and crashed, tossing Brookins out and leaving him with bruised ribs.

On December 20, 1910, Brookins performed his "spiral dip" at Dominguez Field, Los Angeles.

[4] He died in 1953 in Los Angeles and his ashes were buried at the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California.