New York, N.Y. – Bonnier Corp. has named Michael Maya Charles the new editor-in-chief of Flying magazine. Maya Charles, an accomplished author and experienced pilot, has contributed to aviation publications for more than 30 years and will now take over the editorial direction of Flying.

"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."

Throughout his career, Maya Charles has combined his love for flying with his passion for writing. An experienced journalist, he has contributed words and images to aviation magazines since 1975, first at Flying and more recently at AOPA Pilot. Maya Charles has provided periodic aviation expert commentary on CNN and ESPN, managed corporate flight departments and owned airplane charter companies.

Maya Charles is also the author of Artful Flying and was chosen by the Experimental Aircraft Association as one of the "Timeless Voices of Aviation."

"Flying has always been the voice of experience in the aviation industry," said Maya Charles. "What I hope to bring to the table is a broad base of experience that allows me to harness my knowledge and passion for flying into an engaging magazine that inspires and educates pilots in all market segments, and of all experience levels."

Flying is published monthly by Bonnier Corp. Since 1927 Flying has been the magazine to inform, educate and entertain pilots and anyone interested in becoming a pilot. It is focused on personal and business aviation, but also gives readers a glimpse into major airline cockpits, highlights from the military world, and historical pieces that remind us all that we stand on the shoulders of the giants who first realized the dream of flight.

Bonnier Corp. (www.bonniercorp.com) is one of the largest consumer-publishing groups in America and is the leading media company serving passionate, highly engaged audiences, through 49 special-interest magazines and related multimedia projects and events. Bonnier Corp. is the U.S. division of the Bonnier Group (www.bonnier.com), a 200-year-old family-owned media group based in Sweden with business operations in 25 countries.