He was born in Egypt to Alfred Joseph Clancy and Agnes Hunter.
[citation needed] In 1951 he gained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree from the University of Liverpool.
[citation needed] Clancy qualified as an Education Officer with the RAF and began teaching at Royal Air Force College Cranwell.
After 16 years with the Royal Air Force, Clancy had a long career at the University of Bradford where he served as Dean of Engineering.
for Flight International wrote, "The author has a lucid style and puts across a traditionally difficult subject in such a way that the less prepared reader is able to follow the arguments of even the knottiest topics.