About Me

Since my childhood I was always a tinkerer, no matter what it was I had to know how it worked. My parents learned this early on and kept me busy with plenty of Legos, K'nex and various metal kit toys. As I grew older that passion didn't die; in grade school if a project involved building or engineering, I would excel and leave behind records that held for years later. BMX freestyle and racing became another passion of mine that taught me valuable lessons of practice, patience, and perseverance. As a young adult I dabbled in go-cart and mini-bikes, cutting and welding frames to accommodate larger engines. In high school I picked up my first job as a bicycle mechanic where I learned the in-depth trade of bicycle maintenance from the owner, "Z", a retired airline pilot and mechanic. 

When I got my first car, an Acura Integra, I discovered the sport of Autocross and quickly delved into the world of automotive modification. This became my main learning platform for the next 10 years or so. Racing your daily driver is both a costly and unforgiving endeavor. I rebuilt the engine at least half a dozen times, 'till it was eventually fully built and boosted. I did my own engine tuning, rebuilt the transmission once, and performed numerous suspension modifications. I later picked up my first street bike, an FZR600, from a racer. Now armed with boxes full of parts I had to Frankenstein two engines together, one with a spun bearing and the other with a bad third gear. Fully rebuilt from the frame up, it now resembles something from Mad Max and is called the Copper Rocket.

During college I had a difficult time finding which career I wanted to pursue, I thought of following in my father's footsteps and joining the military. I did a year of AFROTC at FSU, where I did well but learned I couldn't see myself being restricted to a non-individualistic lifestyle. I ultimately graduated with my AA and was content working as a bicycle mechanic, but the clock was ticking. I wanted to do more, I wanted to become the best in the mechanical field and I kept coming back to aviation maintenance. Well, one day Rob a customer and friend of mine told me about a place called Warbird Adventures with a particular plane named Precious Metal and that I should go volunteer. So, I did exactly that. Eureka! I found my calling. Unfortunately, I could only afford to volunteer one day every week or two, so I decided to go back to school to get my A&P instead. I graduated top of the class and Warbird Adventures welcomed me with open arms as their full-time mechanic, as the current mechanic had become a commercial pilot. I had, in a sense, become a Wright Brother.

I was thrown into the deep end right off the bat, tasked with continuing a half-finished firewall forward restoration on the Commemorative Airforce's FG-1D Corsair, while maintaining our fleet of busy T-6 Texans, Stearman, Citabria, RV-6A, O-1 Bird Dog, and various other aircraft. Luckily, I wasn't alone. With the help of Thom, Russ, and many other mechanic friends, I absorbed as much as I could. When we acquired American Dream TP-40 I couldn't have been more ecstatic to learn the nuances of the Warhawk. When Warbird Adventures decided to uproot and move to the Carolinas in a search for a safer place to teach and to have our very own airstrip, I was all about it as I've always had a love of the outdoors and the prospect of more opportunities. Years later and now armed with my IA and very well versed into the inner workings of the T-6, P40, American Champion and various other GA planes, I want to begin to reach out and help more owners "keep'em flying"! 

Contact me or Warbird Adventures to schedule maintenance on your bird!

-Bryan Costa

Starting my own LLC is a new endeavor for me and I hope that I won't have only an about me page for too long.