Pilot of the month
Meet Joe Costanza
Airline pilot, Piper Cub owner, and cinematic Instagrammer
By Cayla McLeod Hunt
Whether you’re an avid user of Instagram or just a casual one, there’s probably one aviation account that stands out among the rest. Joe Costanza, @bananasssssssss, shares awe-inspiring content of his 1941 Piper J–3 Cub as well as several other airplanes, including the AOPA Sweepstakes 1953 Cessna 170B.
Costanza got his start in aviation thanks to a flight school owner at his local airport. “I found the owner of a small flight school and begged him for a job so I could get some flight hours,” said Costanza. Thanks to that job, Costanza was able to earn a private pilot certificate shortly after his sixteenth birthday.
Since then, Costanza has been busy flying as a professional pilot and enjoying the freedom of general aviation in his J–3 Cub. Buying the Cub “was the best thing I ever did,” said Costanza. “I’m glad I didn’t lose the love of general aviation.” [email protected]
Follow Joe Costanza on Instagram @bananasssssssss
Post of the month
What a cool job
Had an amazing time interviewing, flying with,and capturing some stunning imagery with@flywithowen and @jraviation1 for my latest@flywithaopa feature story: Flip My Airplane. Read how they took their 1988 Beechcraft F33A Bonanza from Banana to Bombshell in the December issue of AOPA Pilot and online!
@eyeintheskylane #flywithaopa
Watch this reel
AOPA Director of Photography Chris Rose takes viewers on a tour of the inside of a Howard 500
@cloudsandcamera, #flywithaopa
In the field
Working on a story on TacAero Hood River Oregon
@sumwalk736 #flywithaopa
View the video
These and other videos can be accessed in the AOPA Pilot Digital Edition and on YouTube.
aopa.org/digitaleditions
Flying entrepreneurs
TacAero is a Pacific Northwest cadre of pilots who really do it all: They train backcountry pilots in a fleet of CubCrafters aircraft; they take their graduates on backcountry adventures; they do aerial survey work; and more—all while having a lot of flying fun.
Flying a yacht
Brian Addis, a former test pilot at Wipair trains pilots to fly an amphibious Cessna Caravan.
Fit to fly
If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong. Learn how to push, pull, and bend around your aircraft—without injuring your back—and warm up a little before you fly. No gym required.
Fly with AOPA
Come along with us as we fly new aircraft, visit amazing destinations, learn techniques to become a better pilot, and meet interesting folks in the aviation community by watching Fly with AOPA.
aopa.org/thisweek
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