A Life in Pursuit with Clay Lacy

Born on August 14, 1932, in Wichita, Kansas, Clay Lacy got here by his lifetime in aviation actually from the very starting. He started flying at age 12 and had 1,000 hours by the point he joined United Airways as a Douglas DC-3 copilot at age 19 in 1952. At UAL he additionally flew the Convair 340, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, DC-10, and Boeing 727. He retired off the Boeing 747-400 in 1992, holding seniority no 1. He set an around-the-world document in a Boeing 747SP in 1988, making it in 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds—and elevating $530,000 for kids’s charities.

In 1964, Lacy was an indication pilot for Pacific Learjet, and he flew one of many first Learjet 24s into Van Nuys, California (KVNY), an airport that may turn into recognized with him through the years—from the Air Nationwide Guard, to the constitution firm that he based there in 1968, to the film One Six Proper, launched in 2005, which capped his profession as an actor and picture pilot. Lacy helped develop the Astrovision digital camera system mounted on Learjets and others. With it, he filmed for Bombardier, Boeing, and Lear, in addition to different producers, not just for advertising and marketing efforts but additionally flight check segments. Movie credit for the Astrovision system embrace Flight of the Intruder, The Nice Santini, Armageddon, and High Gun.

Lacy raced airplanes as a ardour, and served as president of the Air Racing Affiliation from 1966 to 1970. He gained the Limitless class on the Nationwide Air Races at Reno within the gorgeous purple P-51 Mustang, Miss Van Nuys, he owned for a few years. In 2010, he acquired the FAA Wright Brothers Grasp Pilot Award and was inducted into the Nationwide Aviation Corridor of Fame.

Now, Lacy continues to offer again, simply as he at all times has over his profession. At the moment, he’s working with the Aviation Youth Mentoring Program (AYMP, www.aymp.world), a women-owned and child-centered nonprofit dedicated to involving and provoking underserved communities by aviation. AYMP college students had the privilege to fulfill Lacy in particular person on the Van Nuys airport and be taught what it takes to be an aviator. By the Clay Lacy AYMP Flight Scholarship, Lacy has funded 12 college students in 2023 for his or her non-public pilot certificates, and aviation administration and/or aerospace schooling.

FLYING Journal (FM): You began flying early in life in Wichita. Are you able to share a narrative from these teen years whenever you first took flight?

Clay Lacy (CL): I keep in mind seeing my first airplanes once I was 5 years outdated. There was Continental Airways flying into Wichita from Denver [Colorado], similar time day by day, in a Lockheed 12—smaller than a DC-3—and I’d watch it day by day. After I was eight years outdated, my mom took me for a experience in a Staggerwing Beechcraft on the airport—I used to be into mannequin airplanes by then. After I may see my home from the air, I simply thought this was nice. From that point till I used to be 12, sometimes, I might get a number of {dollars} and purchase a experience. My grandmother had a farm outdoors of Wichita…and throughout the street was a golf course, and in 1944 a man named Orville Sanders began bringing airplanes in there. I began going over there and serving to him. [My grandmother agreed to rent land to Sanders] and three weeks later there have been airplanes touchdown there. So from the time I used to be 12, I acquired to fly nearly day by day.

FM: In flying for United Airways, you noticed the breadth of among the biggest transport class airplanes ever constructed. Does one stand out as your favourite?

CL: I had an amazing profession at United—a superb firm—I had the chance to be copilot on a DC-3 for my first 12 months with United. The Convair got here in new in 1952, so a 12 months later—that they had a contract with the union so the corporate simply assigned individuals to be copilots—I used to be assigned it and what a fortunate factor that was. It was a contemporary airplane, with lots of new methods and good issues—and only a nice alternative.

FM: You flew the Learjet early on, and labored with the corporate and Invoice Lear. Any tales to share from that point?

CL: I used to be actually immersed in company plane gross sales at an early age, after which I turned supervisor of gross sales for Learjet in [11] western states in 1964, and with Al Paulsen and his firm. I launched Invoice Lear—and his firm acquired the distributorship for these states. I flew the Learjet and I met so many individuals, like half of Hollywood, giving them demonstrations on Lears. It was an amazing interval in my life. And I began my very own constitution firm in 1969.

FM: For the primary flight of the “Pregnant Guppy,” how did that come about?

CL: There was a fellow within the Guard named Jack Conroy. He was at all times into one thing new. He had set a document in F-86s from LA to New York and again in someday. He ended up in 1961 constructing the Pregnant Guppy airplane, which is an enormous airplane—it could carry the [Saturn rocket] engines that may take man [up to] the Moon, within the Apollo program. Jack would construct lots of airplanes in these days, and I used to be test-flying most of them. So we flew the Guppy in September 1962—on the time it was thought of the world’s largest airplane. It misplaced some velocity—about 18 % at a given altitude. However Boeing was within the undertaking as a result of they had been within the technique of constructing the 747. They had been occupied with how a lot efficiency it was going to lose [with the wider cross section]. They had been very blissful when the numbers got here in.

FM: Any good reminiscences of flying the F-86? What was it like balancing the flying with United and retaining your dedication to the Air Nationwide Guard?

CL: In January 1954, I went into the air pressure pilot coaching for 20 months and was in Georgia, Greenville, Mississippi; Del Rio, Texas; and Las Vegas, Nellis Air Pressure Base. I got here again to United Airways and the [Air National Guard] in September 1955. I acquired to fly F-86s on my days off [from the airline]—it was an amazing life. [The F-86] was an amazing airplane—I cherished it. It was new to the USAF, then the Guard acquired it through the Korean Battle. I turned head of instrument coaching for the Guard, and it gave me the chance to fly with the final, wing commander, and group commander. We had issues within the Guard, that they had had a number of accidents—like seven accidents in a single 12 months—the 12 months earlier than I got here in. They had been primarily individuals on cross-countries, with issues in instrument flying. That they had an enormous inspection—and our Air Pressure advisor selected me to do the instrument flying. I actually knew so much about it due to my job with United. When the inspection was over, he gave me a ’10,’ the best rating he may give me.

FM: What drew you to the P-51, and to race it within the Limitless Class on the first Reno Air Races?

CL: I at all times thought it could be enjoyable to do the air racing—I had by no means executed it. I used to be flying for United, early January 1964, into Reno [Nevada], and I acquired snowed in someday and I used to be strolling round downtown, and I glided by the Chamber of Commerce’s workplace. That they had an indication within the window that the air race was coming in September, and I went in and acquired the data on it. The subsequent day I used to be again in Al Paulsen’s workplace, and I stated, ‘They’re gonna have races in Reno, and I’d prefer to get an airplane and fly it, a P-51.’ He seemed shocked, and he stated, ‘I simply talked to a man on the telephone, and he desires to commerce me a P-51 on a Cessna 310 he had on the market.’ The man was in Lewiston, Idaho. In these days, the P-51s weren’t price close to as a lot as they’re at this time. So Al wished $17,500 for the Cessna 310, and…Al informed him [he’d give him] $7,500 on the P-51. It was low time, one of many final ones constructed— and it flew very properly.

FM: You’ve made the transfer from pilot to philanthropist full-time—however you’ve been concerned with charitable work your whole profession. Inform us in regards to the Clay Lacy Basis, and the Aviation Youth Mentoring Program you’re concerned in now—and what drives you to assist children?

CL: It’s one thing that I acquired into a while in the past, simply total supporting children. It’s been a superb expertise. I’ve had a lot enjoyable in aviation—I’m informed I is perhaps the highest-time pilot; I’ve over 55,000 flight hours. I really like individuals in aviation—they’re good, sincere individuals, I feel. You are typically sincere in aviation, as a result of should you’re not, you get in bother should you’re a pilot. So that they make good function fashions for younger individuals. If [a young person] is admittedly , they should meet people who find themselves in aviation who can sponsor them and assist get them going.

Fast 6

Is there anybody residing or lifeless who you’ll most prefer to fly with?

So many good mates…one being Invoice Lear

For those who may fly any plane that you simply haven’t flown but, what would it not be?

A number of plane that I’ve filmed however not flown—just like the SR-71

What’s your favourite airport that you simply’ve flown into?

After I was flying the road for United, Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport

What do you imagine has been the largest innovation breakthrough or occasion in aviation?

With the advances we’ve made in supersonic flight by the Fifties, I’m stunned we’re not flying quicker now. However the improve in security—it’s exceptional.

What’s one necessary life lesson you’ve realized from being a pilot?

Study all that you would be able to—at all times be looking out to be taught one thing new.

When not flying or selling your charitable basis, what would you somewhat be doing?

I’ve a spot in Idaho, within the mountains. However, the principle factor has at all times been airplanes and the individuals in aviation.

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