Aviation legend Clay Lacy has flown countless aircraft of every size and type, logging more than 50,000 flight hours and more air miles in jet aircraft than anyone in history. His private collection is as important as it is personal, with aircraft like his championship-winning P-51 Mustang, custom-restored Douglas DC-3 and a rare early Learjet.
These fast, agile Allied fighters helped win World War II, downing nearly 5,000 Axis planes, and flew United Nations pilots in the Korean War. Clay’s historic P-51, serial number 74423, was built in 1944 and flew in the Royal Canadian Air Force before he acquired the plane in 1964 to compete in the Reno Air Races.
Al Paulson, a good friend and business partner, had acquired an airline flying to Hawaii called Orchid Flight. The paint scheme included a purple stripe, but there was a mixup in the paint order. Instead of 50 gallons of paint, the purchasing agent ordered 1,500 gallons. As Clay recalled: “Al asked, ‘Have you thought about what color you want to paint it?’ I said, ‘No, I really haven’t.’ He said, “Good. We’ll paint it purple! People remember purple. They’ll call it the Purple People Eater. They’ll love it!’ And they did. When I repainted it later, twice, I painted it the same color.”
The highlight came in 1970 when Clay won the Unlimited Class National Championship, with a speed of 387.3420 mph. He would fly in every unlimited class air race in the country from 1964-1972, as well as air races in Lancaster, California, Boulder, Nevada, Cape May, New Jersey and St. Louis, Missouri. Still flying today, his P-51 made a special flight at the fiftieth anniversary of the Reno Air Races.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Air & Space Magazine named the Lear Jet 23 one of the ten aircraft that changed the world. Introduced in 1963, this was the first mass-produced private jet. Created by Bill Lear, and with the support of visionaries like Jack Conroy, Al Paulsen and Clay Lacy, the LearJet 23 revolutionized private air travel and made today’s business aviation industry possible. Only 104 examples were built and Clay owns one of them: N1965L, serial number 012, which entered service in November 1964.
Clay Lacy brought it to Van Nuys, making it the first private business jet to land at the airport. During 1965 the aircraft flew hundreds of demo flights, and many Hollywood stars made their first flight in a business jet aboard N1965L.
On May 21, 1965, Jack Conroy and Clay Lacy established three world speed records while flying the first transcontinental round-trip in a civilian jet between dawn and desk in the Lear Jet 23.
President Eisenhower said the Douglas DC-3 was one of four main reasons the Allies won World War II. Launched in 1935, the DC-3 was the first profitable transcontinental commercial airliner. With the advent of war, the plane’s many virtues made it a perfect choice for the military, and thousands were built for service in every theater. Incredibly, as many as 2,000 DC-3s are still in service today.
Clay first flew a DC-3 when he joined United Airlines as its youngest copilot, at the age of 19. He purchased his own DC-3 in the late 1990s. Lovingly restored, the interior was modified from its standard airline configuration to an executive layout, and the exterior features the United Airlines livery. United Airlines Founder and CEO William Patterson named the plane “Mainliner O’Connor,” in honor of Mary O’Connor, one of United’s first flight attendants. It served as Jimmy Carter’s transport when he was governor of Georgia.
First built in 1959 and still in production, the Pilatus Porter performs the world’s shortest takeoffs and landings. The plane is able to take off in 300 feet and land in less than 100 feet at full gross weight. These versatile planes have seen service on everything from wartime intelligence missions to firefighting, skydiving, search and rescue flights—the list goes on. Purchased in 1969, Clay has flown his Pilatus Porter at numerous airshows across the country, transported building materials to his remote mountain retreat, even used it on a search and rescue mission. Clay loves to fly this plane and enjoys thrilling passengers and spectators with exciting maneuvers.
Introduced in World War II, and in service for decades, the North American T-6 Texan and its variants served as advanced trainers for thousands of U.S. Air Force, Navy and British Commonwealth pilots. Over 12,000 were built between 1939 and 1945. Today, they’re star performers at airshows and races around the world. “If a pilot flew a T-6 well they could fly any fighter,” said Clay. He purchased his T-6 in 1959 and it can still be seen flying from its home at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, California.
“My whole life has been luck,” Clay Lacy says. With a forward by Neil Armstrong, and dozens of exclusive photos, this highly readable book by Stacy T. Geere reveals the talent, inspiration, dedication and entrepreneurial spirit behind Clay’s success.
Gain insights into one of the major figures in U.S. aviation history, his groundbreaking achievements and unique contributions to the private jet industry. You will appreciate quotes from aviation luminaries, such as astronaut Gene Cernan, and anecdotes about entertainment figures like John Travolta, Johnny Carson and Frank Sinatra.
Download your complimentary copy of this legendary biography.
友情链： 新万博体育直播吧 _ 万博体育官网登录,万博体育 百度网盘 | 万博体育手机app登陆 万博体育app下载,万博体育世界杯版 | 新万博体育平台~新万博体育软件,万博体育 市场总监 | 万博体育注册_ManBetX万博体育官网app入口|万博体育彩票网站 | 万博体育电脑版|万博直播-万博体育移动版 | 万博体育世界杯-万博ManBetX官方app下载 - 万博体育平台入口登录网页 | 新万博体育网站~万博ManBetX直播~万博体育下载苹果版 |