t would be a foolish and
wasteful idea to count the
number of people that have
made this magazine what it
is. So many have come and
gone since 1963 that you'd go
insane trying to write them
all down. Regardless, each
and every one of those people has
left a mark on Australian Flying,
whether it be large or small.
The footprint of some of those
has been so big their inf luence
is still in the magazine today:
Stanley Brogden, Lawrie Cohen,
Paul Phelan, Peter Ricketts, Doug
Nancarrow. I'd like to add another
person to that very esteemed list:
Shelley Ross.
Shelley's Destinations column
in this issue will be her last. After
19 years–nine as editor–she
has decided to give her writing
hand a much needed break and
concentrate on her instructing
career. Both the editorial team
and the readership will miss her
contribution; her writing style is
crisp yet conversational, didactic
without being instructional. By
the time you've read her work, you
feel like you've been on the journey
with her and that you always had a
friend in Shelley Ross.
Even people who knew nothing
about f lying would tell me they
read her Destinations pieces. The
colour, the sights, the smells, the
characters; there has always been
life in her writing.
As the editor of Australian
Flying, I set a benchmark forprofessionalism, and Shelley was
it. She never missed a deadline and
always presented her material with
an eye for what it would look like
on the printed page. I could always
rely on minimal editing, and when
you're working frantically with the
spectre of a deadline watching over
your shoulder, minimal editing is
manna from heaven.
Shelley will still be f lying the
outback, except her writing will
now be confined to her own
website http://www.f lyingtheoutback.
com.au. You'll still see her laughingand smiling her way across the
country, rolling into spinifex-lined
gravel runways and fronting up for
G&Ts right on five. If you see her
out there, make sure you don't miss
the chance to say g'day.
From the editorial team and the
readership: thanks, Shelley.
And as they say: one in, one out.
Welcome to Australian Flying,
Kreisha Ballantyne. Kreisha
doesn't replace Shelley, but rather
takes the vacant role of Senior
Contributor, starting with the
September-October 2018 issue.
Kreisha is already well known in
the general aviation community,
having worked with several other
aviation titles and done a stint as a
demo pilot for Cirrus.Changing the Guard
Steve Hitchen – EditorEditorial STEVE HITCHEN
After nearly 20 years of writing and
contributing to Australian Flying, Shelley
Ross is sheathing her pen and moving on to
a new aviation career. But coming in through
the swinging door is another of Australia’s
favourite general aviation journalists.8 australianflying.com.au
AUSTRALIAN FLYING July – August 2018I
Editor: Steve Hitchen
[email protected]
Feature Writer: Shelley Ross
[email protected]
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Most editorial queries should be answered
within a month; if not contact the editor.ISSN 0004-Effervescent to say the least,
Kreisha will bring a snappy style
that I expect readers will identify
with and lap up in gallons.
Naturally, it takes a load off me
to have someone else with her
experience and professionalism at
my right hand.
It was very pleasing to see the
number of people who wanted
to come on board as Senior
Contributor. From the moment
we put out the first advert until
I started writing this editorial,
applications rolled in constantly.There's a bit of talent and
enthusiasm out there, and I'd like
to encourage anyone and everyone
who believes they would like to
send in a contribution to do so.
Writing for Australian Flying is an
unbelievably satisfying thing to
do, and if you've got a story that
needs telling and you want to tell
it, get in touch with me and ask
for our contributor guidelines.
May your gauges always be in
the green.I set a benchmark
for professionalism,
and Shelley was it.