AOPA Editor Michael Collins Has Died Of Covid-19 Veteran AOPA publications editor Michael P. Collins died Thursday night from complications of COVID-19, the association said on Friday. Collins had been hospitalized in Maryland for about two weeks after contracting the disease earlier this month. He was 59. Collins joined AOPA in 1994 as managing editor of AOPA Pilot magazine and oversaw development of Flight Training magazine and the association’s digital product, ePilot. According to AOPA, he most recently held the role of Technical Editor and Director of Business Operations. Prior to joining AOPA, Collins was a co-founder of the regional news magazine The Southern Aviator.