There’s been a change at the top of Flying magazine but the new editor-in-chief is a familiar name to longtime AVweb readers. Michael Maya Charles has replaced Mac McLellan at Flying. Maya Charles wrote more than 100 As the Beacon Turns columns for AVweb before he left us in 2006 to devote more time to his other writing exploits. According to a news release from Bonnier Publications, which bought Flying from Hatchett-Fillipacci a couple of years ago, Maya Charles also wrote for Flying and AOPA. The release did not mention McLellan’s circumstances. McLellan was editor-in-chief of Flying for 20 years and had been with the magazine since 1980.
Maya Charles recently retired as a captain for FedEx, was the author of the book Artful Flying and wrote occasional blogs. “We have hired one of the most experienced pilots in the magazine business to lead Flying into the next decade,” said editorial director David Ritchie. “Michael has more than 22,000 hours of flying time in more than 200 aircraft types and has made a living as a professional pilot for 38 years – as a flight instructor, charter pilot, corporate pilot and airline pilot. He’s a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, has owned airplanes since he was 19, and flies his two current airplanes from his airpark home in Colorado.” Maya Charles said his mandate at Flying is to create an “engaging magazine that inspires and educates pilots in all market segments, and of all experience levels.”
