Prossie Pilot Lives Grandfather’s Dream

Jetstar Pilot James Spruce has piloted flights to international and domestic locations across the globe, but his first landing at home in Proserpine last week was the most momentous he’s had so far.

His 94-year-old grandfather, Herbert ‘Jack’ Spruce, looked on as James landed the Airbus A320 on the Proserpine runway with proud tears in his eyes - having given James the flying bug as a young boy, Jack was seeing his grandson live his dream.

Jack and James Spruce’s affinity for flying has always been common ground, with Jack taking his grandson for his first flight at the age of 14, strapping the teenager into his light plane.

Watching his grandson land the Airbus A320 onto the Whitsunday Coast Airport strip as a professional was an emotional outing for the once amateur aviator.

In his flying days, Jack was known as “Spruce Goose”, and the now 94-year-old has lived in the Proserpine Nursing Home for the last 13 years, having had a major stroke which left him unable to communicate verbally.

A lifelong sugarcane farmer, Jack was an avid aero sportsman, flying light planes for fun on weekends and holding the position of Vice President at the Proserpine Aero Club.

Jack had often taken James out to see the Boeing 737s and James remembers his grandad saying, “If I had my time again, that’s what I’d be doing”, and James is now “living the dream” for his grandad having become a commercial pilot for Jetstar.

“It was those words that really stuck with me as a young boy,” James said.

“Ever since I became a professional pilot, I’ve always had a dream to return here and have him out on the tarmac and see me fly in in a large jet.”

Jack’s daughter Jacqueline organised the occasion which saw Jack out on the tarmac watching as his grandson flew into Proserpine for the first time ever.

“For dad to still be alive at nearly 94 to see this moment is very momentous,” Jacqueline Spruce said.

“He basically gave James the flying bug, because dad would come out to do competitions for flying and take James with him in the plane.”

The whole family came out to watch on the day, including Jack’s other son Kenneth Spruce.

James said that the feeling when he saw his grandad on the tarmac was emotional, beyond words, and “absolutely nuts”.

“Proserpine airport in particular is a bit different for pilots; so, you go back to the basics, stick and rudder kind of skills and manual flight, so landing here and having him see it – hopefully having him approving it was smooth – it was beyond words,” James said.

“I get to tell him about my flying escapades now, just like he did when I was a boy; I get to share that with him.”

A family portrait of Jack Spruce (Front), his daughter Jacqueline, and his son Kenneth with his wife Suzanne Spruce

Kenneth and his dad Jack heading to greet James on the stairs of the Airbus A320

It was a teary reunion between Jack and James on the Whitsunday Coast Airport

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