Fun Times Flying a Classic Lear 23 | Aviation International News

NBAA-BACE 2025

Fun Times Flying a Classic Lear 23

Jim Donovan’s historic jet joined the NBAA-BACE Tribute to Flight Pavilion

Lear 23 — Jim Donovan’s Lear 23 is the only one equipped with hushkits and legal to fly . © Matt Thurber/AIN

By Matt Thurber • Editor-in-Chief

October 7, 2025

The only Lear Jet 23 that is flyable and fitted with a hushkit that allows for normal flight operations is at the NBAA-BACE static display’s “Tribute to Flight” pavilion, but possibly just for a limited time through Wednesday. Owned by Jim Donovan, this rare airplane is going up for auction at a Mecum Auctions event next month.

At every turn, Donovan’s experience with this particular airplane—N477K—has turned up a slew of historical coincidences. The latest was how famed Lear pilot and aviator Clay Lacy arrived in Las Vegas for NBAA-BACE 2025. Donovan flew from his base in the Sacramento, California area to Van Nuys to pick up Lacy and fly him to Henderson Executive Airport, which is hosting the NBAA static display this week. Lacy was Bill Lear’s first dealer and has long been involved with the high-performance aircraft—one of the first purpose-built business jets.

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