The adventurous lives of sea-loving pilots Joyce and John Proctor captured the imagination of locals as they visited Fiji with their restored Grumman Albatross seaplane.
The couple’s fascination with flying, holidaying, and sea sightseeing had brought them hundreds of miles from their California home to Suva, where crowds gathered at the Stinson Parade jetty near the Handicraft Centre to marvel at the aircraft.
The word “Navy” was boldly painted on the tail of the plane, with grey, yellow, and black features. A woman sat atop the aircraft on a foldable green seat, sunbathing unfazed by the passing fishing vessels or the curious onlookers.
A feature article in The Fiji Times on May 4, 1996, said the Albatross had been moored there, but it was only when John Proctor personally invited observers aboard that its true appeal became evident.
Inside, the plane was a sharp contrast to the dull exterior: polished hardwood floors, a small bed, computer, video, bathroom, refrigerator, stove, and all essentials for long-distance travel.
The cockpit featured a complex array of switches and buttons.
“The aircraft never seemed to look attractive from the seawall. Entering the plane, though, proved us wrong,” the writer noted.
Originally built for the US Navy in 1954, the Albatross had served at San Diego, Kwajelein, Sapporo, Aduana, and Pensacola before a major overhaul in 1966 and storage in Arizona. It was sold for scrap in 1986, before the Proctors purchased it in March 1992. They spent nearly 5000 volunteer hours restoring and converting the aircraft, including installing engines, propellers, hydraulics, and repairing fuel and oil leaks.
John and Joyce left San Diego during Christmas of 1994 for an 18-month journey across the South Pacific. With two sons back home, John reflected on life at sea.
“We travel over miles of open sea for weeks and months,” he said.
“I think that travelling by sea is a rather unique way of seeing places and travelling around the world, and I love it that way.”
A seasoned aviator, John had been flying since 1963 with just under 5000 flying hours. He held a commercial ATP pilot’s licence with single- and multi-engine land and sea ratings, instrument and glider endorsements, and was type rated in the Grumman Albatross. He was also a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, a volunteer pilot for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department for 15 years and had previously attempted a US hot air balloon crossing and a global flight in an antique biplane.
Joyce, one of only two female pilots in the US certified to fly the Albatross, held similar licences and ratings. She previously logged 250 hours per year in her Cessna Turbo 210 Centurion while running a business consultancy and was the only female volunteer pilot for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. She had also featured on Women in Motion and was a certified scuba diver.
By the time they reached Fiji, the Proctors had flown 23,000 nautical miles and completed 36 water landings. “We plan to fly over to Samoa, Christmas Island, Hawaii and back to mainland US after leaving Fiji waters,” John said.
The couple’s low profile belied their impressive flying careers. Onboard, their diet consisted largely of seafood, supplemented by fruits, vegetables, and biscuits. John revealed stacks of lobsters from the fridge.
“That will be dinner tonight.”
The Proctors landed in Savusavu after a striking take-off from Suva Harbour at sunset.
“I think I love Fiji; and the people are so friendly, I tell you. And I love the Fijian lifestyle. We can just relax and everything still seems fine.”
Asked if they would return, he said, “Well, we will have to think about that, but I believe, I just think we might return someday.”
“I’ll be 50 on Sunday and that makes me quite old,” he said with a laugh.
