Gregory Polek
Senior Editor
Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with New Jersey Monthly magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for Aviation International News in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.
Latest from Gregory Polek
Accidents
Lawsuits Filed in Jetstream Crash
The families of at least five people who died in the October 19 crash of Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 have filed lawsuits against Corporate Airlines and
Embraer in Running for Comair Business
Embraer appears to hold a surprisingly strong position in a contest with Bombardier to supply more 70-seat jets to Comair after new president Fred Buttrell
AvCraft’s ‘sweetheart’ deal draws fire from councilman
While those with an interest awaited word from Leesburg, Va.-based AvCraft about when it would get its German assembly line rolling, another curious develo
Few certainties attached to Air Canada regional jet plans
In a scenario all too familiar since the advent of the regional jet age, the pilots of Air Canada and its regional airline subsidiary, Air Canada Jazz, cou
In three years, RJs dominate scene
New airline industry statistics released last month by the office of DOT inspector general Kenneth Mead revealed that regional jets now account for one-qua
Ambiguity at US Air begs for answers about Embraer 170s
Hopes for a first-quarter launch of US Airways’ MidAtlantic division dimmed to a flicker last month as pilots continued their dispute over payscales for ne
Aircraft
Saab 2000 Returns to Lugano
Swiss International Air Lines may again fly its Saab 2000 turboprops into Switzerland’s Lugano Airport under a new indirect IFR approach procedure proposed
Mesaba Narrowly Averts Strike
Mesaba Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reached a tentative agreement on a new contract last month for the airline’s 844 pilots, avertin
US Air Threatens Allegheny Closure
US Airways last month demanded a “forthcoming” agreement on merger terms between employee groups of wholly owned subsidiaries Piedmont and Allegheny Airlin
United Shifts Gears To Replace ACA
United Airlines wasted no time implementing contingency plans to replace services provided by soon-to-be estranged partner Atlantic Coast Airlines after a
Stillborn REGCO Sues Toronto
Would-be Toronto City Center Airport tenant Regional Airlines Holding Co.
High-flying regionals work hard to maintain altitude
It had been a somewhat quiet year since the RAA staged its annual convention in St.
Republicnext to stake claim on US Airways
Republic Airways became the second regional airline to claim a stake in US Airways last month when it inked a conditional deal to commit $125 million in eq
Aircraft
CRJ700/900 to fly farther, for less
Bombardier has answered the call for a series of improvements to its line of 70- to 86-seat RJs, ranging from new engines on the CRJ700 to wing modificatio
Comair Pilots OK Pay Freeze
Comair pilots have agreed to forego salary increases for the next 2.5 years in return for a promise by the airline to add 20 fifty-seat and 15 seventy-seat
Accidents
Pinnacle CRJ Crew Took a Joy Ride
Transcripts released by the FAA early last month reveal that the pilots of the Pinnacle Airlines CRJ200 that crashed in Jefferson City, Mo., on October 18
China Eastern To Take Next Harbin-Embraer Jets
Embraer commercial vice president Fred Curado told AIN last month that he expected an order from China Eastern Airlines for 10 Harbin-Embraer ERJ 145s “soo
Air Wisconsin-US Airways Pact OK’d
A bankruptcy court judge has approved a deal between Air Wisconsin and US Airways that will see the Appleton, Wis.-based regional take an equity stake in t
Delta in Talks To Sell Regional Subsidiaries to SkyWest
SkyWest COO Brad Rich said last month that Delta Air Lines has “expressed its desire specifically to us” to sell one or both of its regional subsidiaries–A
Aircraft
First Chinese ERJ-145 complete, but no takers
The first Embraer ERJ-145 built in the People’s Republic of China rolled out of its assembly hangar on December 16 in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, and fl
Aircraft
Bombardier Delivers 1,000th CRJ
Delta Air Lines subsidiary Comair took delivery of the 1,000th production regional jet built by Bombardier Aerospace during a December 9 ceremony at the co
Embraer averts strike, short talks break down again
Metalworkers at Embraer’s assembly plant in São Jose dos Campos, Brazil, ended their threats of a strike last month when they agreed to accept a 17.35-perc
Maintenance and Modifications
AvCraft, BAE in Support Deal
Dornier 328JET certificate holder AvCraft Aerospace has recruited BAE Systems Regional Aircraft to take responsibility for spares storage, distribution and
Mesaba Braces for Possible Strike
Minneapolis-based Mesaba Aviation has until January 10 to negotiate a new collective-bargaining agreement with its pilots or face the prospect of a strike.
Mesa Wins Midway Assets
Mesa Air Group last month won the rights to the assets of bankrupt Midway Airlines after outbidding Connecticut-based investment firm Wexford Capital by so
Aircraft
Bombardier enters airline market with single-aisle C Series
Bombardier’s newly constituted board of directors last month gave approval to the company’s commercial airplane division to offer the C Series line of sing
Aircraft
End of the line for Boeing 717
Bombardier Aerospace’s case for the C Series may just have grown sounder last month as Boeing announced it would pull the plug on the 110- to 115-seat 717,
Safety
Suit claims GE shipped defective engine parts
A former employee of GE Aircraft Engines claims the company knowingly shipped defective parts built during a 10-year period at its factory in Madisonville,
Aircraft
Hong Kong start-up to take 170s
A newly formed regional airline division of Hong Kong commuter helicopter operator Helicopters Hong Kong has signed a deal with GE Capital Aviation Service
Aircraft
US Airways wins RJ reprieve
US Airways may resume taking deliveries of Embraer and Bombardier regional jets if the airline’s employee unions accept more cost-cutting measures, thanks
