Frank Cestaro

Frank Cestaro is a pilot based in Oceanside, New York. After spending ten years in operations at JetBlue and earlier working as a ramp agent for Piedmont Airlines, he made a career change in his mid-thirties to pursue his lifelong goal of becoming a pilot. He earned both his undergraduate degree and an MBA in aviation management from Dowling College. Cestaro is currently training with Endeavor Air as part of the Delta Connection program with the aim of advancing to Delta. He previously flew as a first officer on a private jet and at a charter company, where he also instructed other pilots. Outside of flying, Cestaro has volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol and donated bone marrow through the National Bone Marrow Registry in 2021. He credits his father with teaching him the values of hard work, salesmanship, and perseverance that continue to drive his career. Cestaro emphasizes the importance of discipline, self-motivation, and pushing through challenges in aviation, advising others entering the field to keep fighting even on difficult days.