Fri, Jan 27, 2012
Aero Club Of SoCal To Present February 8
The Aero Club of Southern California plans to honor Clay Lacy
February 8 with its prestigious Howard Hughes Memorial Award.
Described by the group as one of the most versatile pilots in the
history of powered flight and a local aviation icon, the jet
charter industry pioneer will receive the award from no less than
Bob Hoover.
Lacy (pictured) first took to the air at age eight while
growing up in the farmland of Wichita, Kansas during the Great
Depression. Now, at age 79, he has spent almost every day of his
life around airplanes. In 1964, Lacy introduced the first Learjet
to Van Nuys Airport (VNY) near Hollywood’s burgeoning
entertainment industry. Four years later, he founded the first jet
charter company west of the Mississippi, launching a new era in
corporate air transportation and mobility.
An airline captain, experimental test pilot, air race champion,
aviation record-setter, aerial cinematographer, philanthropist and
entrepreneur, the club says Lacy has accumulated more hours flying
jets than anyone on Earth and is widely credited with
revolutionizing the business aviation and aerial photography
industries. Among his nearly 3,000 film projects are Top Gun,
Flight of the Intruder and The Great Santini. He is an inductee to
the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the recipient of many other
prestigious awards.
The Aero Club is a non-profit association founded in 1925 to
increase awareness of aviation and to honor those who have made
outstanding contributions to aviation and aerospace. Lacy is the
33rd annual award recipient. Past honorees include Jack Northrop,
Jimmy Doolittle, Neil Armstrong, Chuck Yeager and Simon Ramo. More
than 200 aviation and aerospace luminaries, leaders and enthusiasts
are expected to attend the club's banquet for the ceremony.
The event is scheduled at 1800 PST for cocktails, 1900 for the
dinner and presentation, at The Jonathan Club, 545 S. Figueroa
Street in downtown Los Angeles. It's is open to the public, and a
limited number of tickets is still available.
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