The Tango Thirty-One Aero Clube and the Lakeland Aero Club share strategies and friendships. Shown at the Lakeland Aero Club hangar during Sun ‘n Fun are Amy Mattingly (Marketing Director of Tango 31), Dr. Marli White (Director of Tango 31), Tango 31 Director Kevin Lacey, Lakeland Aero Club President Mike Zidziunas, and Sahara Billman, member of Tango 31. All the adults in the club volunteer their time.
As a journalist, I've interviewed thousands of people, from famous Hollywood directors to student pilots. When I met Kevin Lacey to report on his teen flying club, he became a friend.
He made a living for a while, stealing aircraft. He's one of the stars of "Airplane Repo." He's been threatened, chased, shot at, and arrested while repossessing aircraft around the world on behalf of banks.
He passed away on Valentine's Day. The news of it dimmed the world. His legacy as a television personality is only one facet of his colorful, generous life.
He became an author
After years of nagging from friends, he wrote about his life before and during his repo years. He knew I was an author, so he sent me a draft of the book for my opinion on finding an editor. I advised finding one who maintained his expressions and questionable grammar. He laughed and agreed that people wouldn't believe he wrote it if it sounded like someone else. He titled the book Fly It Like You Stole It.
When he signed books at SUN 'n FUN Fly-in and Expo the next year, I wrote about it for General Aviation News. When a man examined the book, Kevin asked if the man could read.
As an author who’s been to many book signings over the years, that was the first time I’d witnessed an author insult someone to make a sale.
Later, when other members of his aero club arrived at the signing, Kevin introduced them to a lady in line. “These here are all my kids. And they all have different mothers.”
Again, he sold a book.
He could get away with it because he treated everyone with the same deft humor.
He started a teen flying club
I interviewed him about it in General Aviation News. Here's an excerpt.
“When I was a kid, I rode my bicycle to the airport and rode out around the T-hangars and stuff,” Kevin recalled. “I wiped the bellies of airplanes and swept hangar floors. Kids can’t do that today. If they drive to the airport nowadays to sit outside the fence to watch airplanes, the cops run them off. Some will threaten to throw them in jail.”
He teared up while he talked about the fatal flight of one of the teens, Gabriel “Skinny” Hatton, and how the family of the young man reacted. The club continued.
That is a greater legacy than the fame of television or the money from decades of aircraft maintenance.
Instead of honoring Kevin with flowers, how about supporting the Tango 31 Aero Clube, who choose to “live big, bold, and brave.” https://www.t31aeroclube.com/
Sad day, I just saw Kevin had passed. His business card was on my desk and I pulled up Tango 31 web site hoping to see when he would be signing his book at SnF this year. We met pre-covid down at Lakeland looking at aircraft, that turned in to a beer or few over the years! Always enjoyed his visits at the campsite, great stories. I’ll miss you, happy I have several pictures for the memories! Hope you are still wearing those boots my friend!
Even doing a book signing, he did things his own unique way. I’m so glad he wrote his book to capture some of the hangar stories of his life. So many more he only told in person. He had a big heart and a wild nature.
Kevin, God Speed. Everyone in aviation will miss you. Without doubt, you were and outstanding, good hearted individual. I cried when I learned of your passing. Until we meet again on the other side,
Blue Skies Always,
Your Florida Friend,
Jake
Thank you, Steve, for sharing. You are not the only one who cried to learn that we lost him.
Ya I met Kevin in Tulsa Oklahoma thinking it was and still is their, he was reskinning Cessna L-19 and Cessna 170 rudder and elevators. Even worked on a few ailerons. He was about maybe ten years younger born I think in 1956. I was flying my Stinson 108 voyager. And he came out, in a Taylor craft with no wings and was taxing around. Had to.laught He was all excited apparently he had just purchased the aircraft and still owns it think. Rebuild the engine a few years back. We both attended the yearly eight hour seminar. And had to laugh about our past.
How cool, Arthur, that you met him in his early days. He wrote about taxiing around in that wingless plane in his book. Made me laugh to read it.
Excellent thank you!
You are welcome, John. Kevin touched many lives.