This is Ben Sauceda and this November 2025, I had the opportunity to sit down with Clay Lacy at his home in California and hear a few stories about his time in aviation, also his time in cinematography, and just some of the memories that he had. So take a few minutes, and enjoy this time listening to Clay as he shares his stories
SAUCEDA: Yeah so you worked with Bill Lear quite a bit then?
LACY: Oh Yes
SAUCEDA: What was some of that like when he decided to move back to Wichita?
LACY: Well he did it in a big way. In Wichita built his factory, the first hangar. He was really off and running when he got back there. From the time he moved in there, it was nine months before he flew the first airplane. So he was busy, and he was there to do it and he did it
SAUCEDA: So he did it in… I didn’t realize he did it in nine months
LACY: Yeah. First one to fly
SAUCEDA: And it was just a little bit longer after that one got approved…hat they build the first one for commercial sale, which was the 23-03, is that right?
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: And you went out and visited him when he was still in Europe?
LACY: Yes
SAUCEDA: Ok when he was talking about moving back to…
LACY: No
SAUCED: Oh ok even before that
LACY: Yeah. But he called me and told me he he’d move back
SACEDA: Where you learned to fly was out in west Wichita, is that right? At your grandma’s farm?
LACY: It was at Tyler Road and Maple…54 Highway
SAUCEDA: So there where right now it’s Rolling Hills Country Club…is there now
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: But that was your grandma’s farm is that right?
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: Ok and if I understood right there was a gentleman that wanted to use the farm for a runway? A landing strip?
LACY: Well yes. A guy named Orville Sanders. Who was at war with… A year from being over. But they were starting to surplus some airplanes… training planes, and he started buying some of them. He moved about three or four at a time into Westlink Golf Course and landed on the fairway. And I went over there and started to hang around, you know, and help in any way I can. One day he says to me, you know, “You think your grandmother rent me land over there to build an air plane?” I said “I don’t know for sure, but I’ll set up a meeting” so my grandmother knew… she had never flown at that point. She knew how bad I wanted to fly, so I set up a meeting with him. And three weeks there was airplanes landing in the field. And then they start building at Tyler Road and Maple.
SAUCED: And so it was in his airplane that you learned how to fly then?
LACY: Oh Yeah
SAUCEDA: And you said you soloed first at 14 years old?
LACY: Yeah
SAUCED: How many years total did you fly from 14… to how many years was it ‘til you retired?
LACY: Well 70
SAUCEDA: Ok [laughter] And you have over is it 50,000 flight hours?
LACY: 50,000 yeah
SAUCEDA: That is 2,292 days total you’ve spent flying
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: In total. In 24 hour periods. And that would make it…So you’ve spent over 6 years in the air
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: That’s crazy to think that’s how many days, years, hours, you’ve spend flying
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: You left Wichita when you went to work for United. Is that right?
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: And you flew for them for 40 plus years?
LACY: 42 years
SAUCEDA: 42 years
LACY: But I did a lotta other things
SAUCEDA: Yeah
LACY: I mean they were… I can’t believe how adaptable they let me be, you know. I mean I didn’t even feel like it was working for United hardly, I mean I liked flying for them, but I was doing so many other things
SAUCEDA: While you there that’s when you started the FBO, Clay Lacy Aviation, during that time?
LACY: Yeah
SAUCEDA: And you also invented quite a few things yourself
LACY: For camera work and stuff. The guide rail…big in aerial photography
SAUCEDA: How long have you worked with Paul Bowen?
LACY: Oh I’ve known him a long time, but…nice guy
SAUCEDA: Ok Yeah
LACY: Umm but he was doing his own things. But he was using a B-25. Then he started doing something with me. In fact I worked with Paul a lot
SAUCEDA: Yeah and you two have something in common, and that’s that you both call Wichita your home town
LACY: Yeah right
SAUCEDA: One of the things… When you talk about the aerial cinematography. You created and invented Astrovision is that right?
LACY: Right
SAUCEDA: And that was used… was it first in Top Gun? When its first usage was? Or was that just part of its use?
LACY: Well it may have been the first feature we used it. We were using it for airline commercials
SAUCEDA: Ok
LACY: Primarily. But I was doing movies
SAUCEDA: Yeah
LACY: Worked on 68 movies, but not big movies. They were just scenes. But at least six were big movies
SAUCEDA: Were you consulting in them, or were you in them flying? Or both?
LACY: Both
SAUCEDA: Both?
LACY: Yeah I was very much a consultant. Yeah it was great
SAUCEDA: And you have also invested a lot in future aviators, through education. Is that right?
LACY: Yes, Yeah
SAUCED: North Dakota… Is it North Dakota University? Or North Dakota State?
LACY: Yeah. North Dakota…What is that? University of North Dakota
SAUCEDA: Then you have… you were just in Sacramento for the Clay Lacy… What was the award name? That you were just in Sacramento for?
OTHER: The Clay Lacy Friendship flight to Freedom Award
LACY: Ok. If you had to think of something that you might consider one of your greatest contributions to aviation, how easy would it be to identify one? Or are there probably several?
LACY: Well…I really haven’t thought about that you know. But I’ve spent my life in aviation, and been involved in many things. Wichita is still the Air Capital of the World. That has no effect on me
CARETAKER: I don’t think there’s any other place
LACY: What?
OTHER: I don’t think there’s any other place except Wichita. I mean…
SAUCEDA: Not that has the history and the current capacity
CARETAKER: It’s pretty much the way it is, where it is, and hopefully it will stay the way it is
SAUCEDA: But you’ve had some impact on Wichitans in aviation pretty much, like Ron Ryan, a Wichitan that you’ve had a good amount of effect on, an impact on, and your work with the Classic Learjet guys now. You’ve definitely lent your name and resources to making sure people stay engaged in aviation.
LACY: Yeah. Tried to
SAUCEDA: And you’ve got to meet some pretty fun people along the way I’m sure
LACY: Oh I’ve met great people along the way. Just hundreds I’ve met that are great
SAUCEDA: Well like I said, I just wanted… I figured… man, there’s so many stories that you probably have, and experiences, that I just wanted to at least get a little bit of those to… that way people can hear your story… who aren’t as familiar, outside of aviation, who aren’t as familiar with it. And so I appreciate that
