About Us

Meridian Air Group was founded in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1997 with just two employees. The company purchased a 1976 Cessna 421C, primarily to support the family travel needs of the owner. Our headquarters was established at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, where today, we’ve been a participating business for over 13 years.

In 1998, Meridian obtained an Air Carrier Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office in Richmond. In the spring of that year, we started conducting unscheduled, on-demand aircraft charters for the public. Meridian began serving its first aircraft management client in 2000 with the addition of the first Pilatus PC12 aircraft. At the time, only 240 PC12s were operating worldwide. Within two years, we introduced the aircraft to our charter clients, subsequently adding additional aircraft to our fleet each year in 2003 through 2007.

In 2006, Meridian expanded the business interests to include services that support aircraft operations, such as fueling and maintenance. In the fall of that year, we opened a satellite location in the County of Louisa to operate our fixed-base services at Freeman Field; otherwise known as the Louisa County Airport. In 2007, Meridian reached aircraft assets under management in excess of 14 million dollars.

Staff

Our professional staff and expert maintenance crew are ready to serve you in the air and on the ground so that your experience with Meridian Air Group exceeds your expectations!

In Charlottesville

Steven A. Walters, President & Director of Operations

Steve has been with Meridian Air Group since the company’s founding in 1997. He is an Airline Transport Pilot as well as a Certified Flight Instructor.

All of Steve’s personal and professional flying has been done from Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport since 1989. In 1992, he started flight instructing including teaching prospective pilots for Piedmont Virginia Community College. Steve started his first full-time corporate aviation job in the spring of 1994.

Originally from the Washington DC suburbs near Vienna, Virginia, he graduated from Oakton High School in 1986 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in American Government from the University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences in 1990. Prior to becoming a professional pilot, Steve served as the Operations Supervisor for UVA’s University Transit Service from 1990 to 1994.

Christopher H. Replogle, Chief Pilot

As the Chief Pilot of Meridian Air Group, Chris is responsible for the hiring, training, certification, and management of all flight personnel. He has worked as an aircraft manager with Meridian Air Group since 2003. Prior to MAG, his experience includes: lead flight-test engineer supporting both fixed-wing and rotary-wing flight test programs for the U.S. Navy; safety officer and instructor for a contractor providing flight training to Marine Corp. officer pilot candidates; and FAA designated Aviation Safety Counselor. Chris’ broad background in engineering, project management, and flight operations is an asset to MAG. A native of Virginia, he enjoys the outdoors, kayaking, skiing, piloting sailplanes, and academic pursuits.

Fitz-Hugh C. Morgan, Pilot

Fitz-Hugh has been with Meridian Air Group since April of 2005 and serves as Captain on the Pilatus. He is a Charlottesville native who was introduced to flying at a young age through his father, who also flies professionally. His first flight training was in Waynesboro, Virginia, where he soloed on his sixteenth birthday. After graduating from Charlottesville High School in 1995, he attended the University North Carolina at Wilmington and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2000. After college, he started his formal training at ILM Aero in Wilmington, NC and completed his Commercial multi-engine ratings.

He became an instructor at Charlottesville Flight Center in June of 2003 and became certified to teach in the Lancair Columbia. Thereafter he became certified to teach in the Pilatus and most recently he became certified in the Falcon 20.

When he’s not flying he enjoys spending time outdoors. Fitz-Hugh is proud to be a part of such a quality flight department and looks forward to seeing you on a future flight.

Fax Ayres, Pilot

Fax started flying 22 years ago after moving to Alaska where he was surrounded by pilots. He purchased a 1948 Luscombe 8A, earning his Private Pilot license in that plane and flying it around Southeast Alaska. He got his first commercial flying job with Skagway Air Service, a small town air taxi service based out of Skagway, Alaska, where he flew for three years. Fax left Alaska to pursue a career in Finance, continuing to fly recreationally. He moved to Charlottesville, VA in 1994 where he earned his MBA at the Darden School. After spending twelve years in various finance related positions, and starting a small business in Charlottesville, Fax decided to return to aviation as a career and now devotes himself full time to Charter flying with Meridian, corporate flying for a local law firm, and running Orion Flight Center, small flight school at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport. Fax serves as a Captain in the Columbia 400 and Second in Command in the Pilatus PC12.

Will Moore, Pilot

Will started flying in the early 1990’s, when he got his private license at the Culpeper Regional Airport. After moving from the Washington DC area to Seattle in 1992, he flew freight out of Boeing Field to locations throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Hired on by Mesa Airlines in 1996, Will was first based in Seattle where he flew Beech 1900’s, then transferred back to the East Coast to fly the Embraer Regional Jet out of Reagan National Airport, and subsequently the Canadair RJ from Washington Dulles.

In 2007, after 11 years and 10,000 hours logged flying for the regional airlines, Will returned with his wife and two young daughters to his hometown in the Shenandoah Valley. Today, his aviation career continues as a corporate pilot. Will is also a partner with Virginia Aerial Photography, a commercial photography company serving central, western, and northern Virginia. On weekends you might find him flying a glider (or the tow plane) out of Eagles Nest Airport in Waynesboro.

In his free time, Will flies his own Cessna 120 (a vintage taildragger) and studies German language and literature. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia, and lives in Staunton.

James P. McGuire, Pilot

Jim came to aviation through a long line of aviators. His grandfather flew with Admiral Byrd in the Antarctic projects, his father was a career Air Force officer and flew P-47 Thunderbolts. Jim has over 17,000 hours of flight time in various aircraft, accumulated in aerial surveillance for oil companies, flying DH-7s for Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and various corporate jets. He has been flying the Pilatus PC-12 for Meridian Air Group since 1999.

When not flying, Jim enjoys time with his family, scale model aircraft and anything that involves aviation history.

Michael C. Mishler, Pilot

Michael started flying in 1990 and has accrued over 4000 flight hours inspecting gas pipelines, flight instructing, and flying for Meridian Air Group. Michael lives in Woodbridge Virginia with his wife Sara and his two children. He still actively flight instructs and enjoys outdoor activities with his family.

James B. Van Liew, Pilot

James B. Van Liew, Pilot, is a native of Charlottesville. Before working for Meridian Air Group he helped manage his family’s construction business. He is a graduate of Hampden Sydney College in Farmville, Virginia. Jim has been a pilot for Meridian Air Group since 2007.

In Culpeper

Martin R. Dodson, Director of Maintenance & Service Manager

Martin is a 33-year veteran of the aviation industry, and has held his inspector-authorization certificate for more than 20 years. In addition to his duties as the Service Manager in Culpeper, Martin is also the Director of Maintenance for our air carrier operations. Before coming to Meridian Air Group in 2007, he owned and operated two maintenance facilities and managed an FAA-certified repair station. In addition, he managed and conducted inspections for multiple aviation businesses in Virginia. He is factory trained in Pilatus aircraft, Diamond aircraft, and Pratt & Whitney PT-6 engines. When Martin isn’t hovering over an aircraft, he enjoys spending time with his wife at his home in Orange County and riding his Harley.

Tammy B. Daughtry, Office Manager & Parts Coordinator

Tammy joined Meridian Air Group in 2008 as an office manager and parts coordinator for our fixed based operation in Louisa, VA. She began her aviation career as a customer service representative with a local commercial airline and moved on to work for an FAA certificated repair station as an office manager for the maintenance department. She enjoys spending her spare time with family and friends.