Clay Lacy and his DC-3

When I think of all the wonderful people we know in the aviation world, there are a few who truly stand out and Clay Lacy is one of those exceptional people.

His name is well known in aviation circles and I know he has a special place in his heart for our wide-open skies and for Mojave Airport. He flew to Mojave Airport to honor his lifelong friend, Dan Sabovich when he retired as Mojave Airport General Manger in 2002. Clay's airplane, a magnificently restored DC-3 was a showstopper!

Clay has devoted his life to airplanes and the aviation industry, and over the years he has set numerous records in all kinds of aircraft, including: military, experimental air racers, and ex-airliners. He is a pilot's pilot, accomplished United Airlines captain, air-race pilot, Air National Guard fighter pilot, aerial cinematographer and FBO entrepreneur.

I remember an article that had a quote by Clay. He said, "I've been intrigued with aircraft since I was five years old and knew I wanted to be a pilot from age seven. At twelve, I started working at an airport, trading work time for flying time. In fact, I only worked one day in my life outside of aviation - it was in a grocery and I lasted three hours. I feel lucky that I knew early what I wanted to do and was able to pursue it. I've had fun and I don't know what I would change. I've had the opportunity to meet great people in aviation and I've gotten to know a lot of good aircraft."

Clay was born in 1932 and grew up in Wichita, Kansas where he learned to fly. In 1952, at the age of 19 he went to work for United Airlines flying a DC-3, forty years later in 1992, he retired as United's Senior Pilot flying Boeing 747-400's. During his forty years at United he accumulated over 50,000 flight hours!

He flew F-86 Sabre's while serving in the Air National Guard with the 146th Fighter Wing in the 1950s. As an airline pilot Clay still had time to race his famous purple P-51 Mustang (N64CL) at air races at Fox Airfield, Mojave and Reno. In 1968, he founded Clay Lacy Aviation, a business jet charter company, at Van Nuys Airport. It quickly became popular with movie stars and other celebrities and soon became known as "Hollywood's Private Airline."

His corporate fleet consists of more aircraft than you could possibly dream of, including a Lear 24, 25 and 35; Gulfstreams, Boeing 727 and Boeing Business Jets. He also has a personal fleet including his purple Mustang and a perfectly restored DC-3 in United Airlines colors.

Clay's Douglas DC-3 was built near the end of the war as a C-47 and was delivered to the Air Force in 1945. It was declared surplus in just one month, but fortunately the airplane was not melted down for scrap and was eventually flown into Van Nuys Airport. Clay bought it and began a complete restoration from the ground up, inside and out.

The restoration was complete in August 2000 and he named his restored United Airlines DC-3 "Mainliner O'Connor." Mary O'Connor was one of United's early stewardesses and she usually flew with William A. Patterson, founder and CEO of United, aboard the executive aircraft.

See you on our next flight!