Lacy is a world-renowned pilot with over 50,000 hours of flying time whose lifetime in aviation has included experience as an Air Force pilot and airline pilot, fame as a national air racer, and international success as a director and videographer specializing in air-to-air sequences for Hollywood blockbuster movies and television commercials. In October 1964, […]
Aviation Safety
By Clay Lacy in December 2004 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Training” Contributing Writer Aircraft are designed so that no matter what happens there’s always a way out. The weak link, and the cause of most accidents, is the human element. Safety Standdown is aimed at inspiring operators to focus more on safety and to give themselves […]
Situational Awareness – An editorial opinion
By Clay Lacy in January 2001 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Situational Awareness” ATP/CFII/Helo/Sea. Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings During a Pro Pilot flight test aboard a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, Pilot-Author Clay Lacy (L) and Cessna Mgr ATD Fleet Ops Gregory Parlish input flight information to an Avidyne FlightMax […]
Buying Business Aircraft
By Clay Lacy – In June 2002 Pro Pilot Magazine’s “Purchasing Guide” ATP/Helo/CFII Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings Flying is easy compared with acquiring an aircraft. Know the marketplace before you start shopping. It’s a buyers market out there for business jets. I don’t believe prices are going […]
Clay Lacy on Allen Paulson
TRIBUTE Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca (L) listens as Allen Paulson lists the qualities of the Gulfstream IV. The year is 1986, the setting a GIV furnishings mockup at the NBAA convention. Selling aboard any of his Gulfstream aircraft—even a mockup—is something Paulson loved. Allen Paulson was born on April 22, 1922 and died on July […]
In Aviation, One Size Does Not Fit All
By Clay Lacy in Professional Pilot Magazine’s August 2004 “Position and Hold” ATP/CFII/Helo?Sea. Gulfstream II/III/IV, Learjet and Citation series, HS125, Boeing 747, DC3 and 25 misc type ratings. When I climb out of my Gulfstream IISP or Learjet 24, after an intercontinental trip or a quick dash back from ICT (Mid-Continent, Wichita KS), I often […]
Keeping Bizav Strong After National Tragedy
By Clay Lacy In Professional Pilot Magazine’s October 2001 “Guest Editorial” ATP/CFII/Helo/Sea. Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings GOVERNMENT DECISIONS SHOULD NOT CRIPPLE A VITAL SEGMENT OF TRANSPORTATION — GENERAL AVIATION. Like everyone else in the free world, I was shocked and saddened by the tragedies in New York, […]
Large-Cabin Business Jets: Now is the Time to Buy
By Clay Lacy in May 2004 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Purchasing Guide” ATP/CFII/Helo?Sea. Gulfstream II/III/IV, Learjet and Citation series, HS125, Boeing 747, DC3 and 25 misc type ratings. If you need a large-cabin business jet and can afford one, this is the year to buy. Prices of new and used business jets are at all time […]
Virtues and Advantages of Buying a Used Business Jet
By Clay Lacy In Pro Pilot Magazine “Older Bizjets” July 2000 ATP/CFII/Helo/Sea. Gulfstream II/III/IV, Learjet series, HS125, Boeing 727/747 and 25 misc type ratings While new is always better, there are great buys available in used turbojet aircraft which allow companies to move into jets without delay. Now, don’t get me wrong. These new aircraft […]
Business Jets with the Highest ROI from Charter
October 18, 2016 Fifteen years ago, a Gulfstream GIV was considered the epitome of luxury in private jet travel. The GIV was the largest, fastest, most luxurious private jet flying. And in the charter market, an hour of flight on a GIV would cost approximately $5,500. Fast forward fifteen years, the GIV is no longer […]
Choosing the Best Jet Charter Company
Finding The Best Private Jet Charter If you have never chartered a private jet, picking the right company can be daunting. You want to know that you and your family are safe, that you receive a fair price, and that the service and experience are excellent. Here are some proven tips and insider knowledge to […]
No more easy deals?
By Richard Hodkinson Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions Clay Lacy Aviation I miss the good old days. I’ve been buying and selling corporate jets for clients since 1994, and I can tell you that everything about the transaction process back then was simpler and easier for everyone. A client looking to purchase, upgrade or sell an […]
The Perfect Charter Flight Begins Long Before Takeoff
One of the hallmarks of a great charter experience is excellence that appears effortless. The food and amenities are perfect. The attentive personnel anticipate every desire. Everything happens on time. The key to this seamless performance is what occurs behind the scenes, hours before you board the jet. Here are a few highlights from a […]
2016
New FAA Part 145 repair stations open in Seattle, San Diego and New York.
2015
$10 million, six-acre expansion and redevelopment at Van Nuys Airport, creating LA’s most secure and exclusive private aviation complex.
2013
Clay Lacy Aviation celebrates 45 years as the world’s most experienced jet charter and management company.
2012
Brian Kirkdoffer, a 22-year company veteran, is named President & CEO of Clay Lacy Aviation.
2009
First business jet fleet to install high-speed Wi-Fi, new 40,000 square-foot hangar completed at Seattle jet center.
2005
State-of-the-art flight simulator installed to evaluate pilot candidates and maintain superior proficiency levels.
2003
Brian Kirkdoffer, a world record-holding Learjet and Gulfstream captain, is named company president.
2002
Company expands to Seattle opening a full-service FBO and jet center at Boeing Field.
2001
Managed fleet increases to 30 aircraft.
1999
First Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) available for charter in the U.S., the first commercial airline-size, VIP-configured aircraft.
1998
First Gulfstream GV available for charter in the U.S., introducing ultra-long range business jet travel to charter clients.
1984
Van Nuys Airport facility doubles in size with additional hangars and offices.
1981
World’s first all-jet FBO opens at Clay Lacy Aviation’s Van Nuys Airport headquarters.
Clay Lacy and Key Air Become One
Together expanding nationwide coverage for jet charter, aircraft management and maintenance support with new locations in Greater New York and throughout the Northeast. (New York– September 14, 2016) Clay Lacy Aviation, the world’s most experienced operator of private jets, has united with Key Air, an aircraft management and charter company with a rich 30-year history, […]
Aircraft of the 21st century — it’s time for really big changes
By Clay Lacy ATP/Helo/CFII – In 2001 Pro Pilot Magazine Editorial Opinion “Outer Marker Inbound” Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings Over the nearly 100 yrs since the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk we’ve seen wonderful advances in aviation technology. These improvements, however, have not been consistent. We’ve had […]
Aviation Partners Winglets Debut on Hawker 800
By Clay Lacy in November 2001 Professional Pilot Magazine ATP/Helo/CFII Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings Blended winglets for the Hawker 800, anticipated to be certified within 12 months, are the same design concept and application of technology as the winglets you see on the Gulfstream II, the BBJ […]
Clay receives prestigious NBAA award
Lacy is a world-renowned pilot with over 50,000 hours of flying time whose lifetime in aviation has included experience as an Air Force pilot and airline pilot, fame as a national air racer, and international success as a director and videographer specializing in air-to-air sequences for Hollywood blockbuster movies and television commercials. In October 1964, […]
Aviation Safety
By Clay Lacy in December 2004 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Training” Contributing Writer Aircraft are designed so that no matter what happens there’s always a way out. The weak link, and the cause of most accidents, is the human element. Safety Standdown is aimed at inspiring operators to focus more on safety and to give themselves […]
Situational Awareness – An editorial opinion
By Clay Lacy in January 2001 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Situational Awareness” ATP/CFII/Helo/Sea. Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings During a Pro Pilot flight test aboard a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, Pilot-Author Clay Lacy (L) and Cessna Mgr ATD Fleet Ops Gregory Parlish input flight information to an Avidyne FlightMax […]
Buying Business Aircraft
By Clay Lacy – In June 2002 Pro Pilot Magazine’s “Purchasing Guide” ATP/Helo/CFII Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings Flying is easy compared with acquiring an aircraft. Know the marketplace before you start shopping. It’s a buyers market out there for business jets. I don’t believe prices are going […]
Clay Lacy on Allen Paulson
TRIBUTE Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca (L) listens as Allen Paulson lists the qualities of the Gulfstream IV. The year is 1986, the setting a GIV furnishings mockup at the NBAA convention. Selling aboard any of his Gulfstream aircraft—even a mockup—is something Paulson loved. Allen Paulson was born on April 22, 1922 and died on July […]
In Aviation, One Size Does Not Fit All
By Clay Lacy in Professional Pilot Magazine’s August 2004 “Position and Hold” ATP/CFII/Helo?Sea. Gulfstream II/III/IV, Learjet and Citation series, HS125, Boeing 747, DC3 and 25 misc type ratings. When I climb out of my Gulfstream IISP or Learjet 24, after an intercontinental trip or a quick dash back from ICT (Mid-Continent, Wichita KS), I often […]
Keeping Bizav Strong After National Tragedy
By Clay Lacy In Professional Pilot Magazine’s October 2001 “Guest Editorial” ATP/CFII/Helo/Sea. Boeing 747, Gulfstream II/III/IV, Hawkers, Learjets, Citations and 25 misc type ratings GOVERNMENT DECISIONS SHOULD NOT CRIPPLE A VITAL SEGMENT OF TRANSPORTATION — GENERAL AVIATION. Like everyone else in the free world, I was shocked and saddened by the tragedies in New York, […]
Large-Cabin Business Jets: Now is the Time to Buy
By Clay Lacy in May 2004 Professional Pilot Magazine’s “Purchasing Guide” ATP/CFII/Helo Sea. Gulfstream II/III/IV, Learjet and Citation series, HS125, Boeing 747, DC3 and 25 misc type ratings. If you need a large-cabin business jet and can afford one, this is the year to buy. Prices of new and used business jets are at all […]
Business Jets with the Highest ROI from Charter
Fifteen years ago, a Gulfstream GIV was considered the epitome of luxury in private jet travel. The GIV was the largest, fastest, most luxurious private jet flying. And in the charter market, an hour of flight on a GIV would cost approximately $5,500. Fast forward fifteen years, the GIV is no longer in production, replaced […]
Choosing the Best Charter Company
How to get it right the first time If you have never chartered a private jet, picking the right company can be daunting. You want to know that you and your family are safe, that you receive a fair price, and that the service and experience are excellent. Here are some proven tips and insider […]
No more easy deals?
By Richard Hodkinson Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions Clay Lacy Aviation I miss the good old days. I’ve been buying and selling corporate jets for clients since 1994, and I can tell you that everything about the transaction process back then was simpler and easier for everyone. A client looking to purchase, upgrade or sell an […]