Donn Castonguay
From watching a radar screen the better part of his work day, to watching out the windscreen of his 1949 Piper PA-16 Clipper, RAF Supporter Donn Castonguay is very happy to have made the transition to his place in the GA world. He and his wife Suzanne enjoy leisurely flights over the green rolling hills, colonial architecture, and covered bridges of the Northeast from their New England home in West Cornwall, Connecticut.
RAF Liaison Drew Lyons — then of Connecticut — got the couple engaged in work parties at Tobe Mountain (Waterbury airfield), one of the few remaining turf airfields in Connecticut. The Castonguays recognize and appreciate the RAF mission to preserve this and other idyllic airfields against development pressure and willingly pitch in to help.
Donn’s career was a Center Controller at New York’s Long Island MacArthur Airport. He would have been the voice on your radio when you asked for flight following, or transitioned into or out of his busy New York airspace.
Donn retired in 2018, saying, “They get done with you early in this business.” His wife Suzanne also retired from her career as an architectural consultant specializing in “curtain wall” construction — the high-rise glass and metal wall designed to move independently from the floors.
They met in college at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, both pursuing architecture, then Donn discovered a new interest in aviation. He got his private pilot license in 2010 and towed gliders for the Civil Air Patrol. During CAP’s summer ten-day Academy, he enjoyed his role helping teens solo in those ten days. “There’s nothing like soloing an airplane to make them feel that they can do anything,” he says. Many advance to the US Air Force.
Once retired, Donn wanted his tailwheel endorsement so he got his training in Cubs at a flight school.
Piper’s first Clipper rolled out of the Lock Haven factory in 1949, priced just under $3,000. Donn found his in March of 2018. The plane is a great fit for Donn, Suzanne, and camping gear. They flew it to AirVenture in 2021, enjoying the Piper Short Wing gathering along the way. They have flown to Sun N’ Fun, and to an Antique Airplane Association fly-in in Blakesburg, Iowa.
Today, Donn flies photo missions for the state, serves as a lifeguard at the local YMCA, and flies regularly with his CAP squadron. He enjoys motorcycle touring, and tinkering with their 1993 Volkswagen “Weekender” camper van. He and Suzanne enjoy a half-day flight to a favorite camping airfield, like Plumb Island, north of Boston where they take a car to the beach, or Parlin in New Hampshire where the RAF made improvements, and you can bicycle to a nice dinner.
In contrast to the West with its higher elevations, density altitude and convective turbulence, Donn points out, “You don’t need a 180 here in the Northeast to enjoy beautiful flying over forested areas with welcoming small towns here and there.” In fact, at a leisurely 100 kts, one can really enjoy sightseeing around New England.
Submitted on January 10, 2025
By Carmine Mowbray