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
Aircraft
An-148 due for certification this month
Antonov expects its new An-148 regional jet to win CIS AP-25 certification this month and to deliver the first production example, built by Ukraine’s Avian
BA To Sell Regionals to Flybe
Exeter, UK-based Flybe has agreed to buy most of British Airways’ BA Connect subsidiary.
Bombardier Named in Comair Suit
The family of one of the victims of the August 27 crash of Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington, Ky., has amended its lawsuit to include charges that Bombardier
Aircraft
ANZ Orders Three More Q300s
Air New Zealand (ANZ) has converted options on three 50-seat Bombardier Q300 turboprops on behalf of its wholly owned regional airline subsidiary, Air Nels
Aircraft
Embraer Seals Big Deal Down Under
Brisbane, Australia-based Virgin Blue placed a firm order last month for three Embraer E170s and 11 E190s, along with options on another six airplanes, giv
Mesaba, Unions Reach Terms
Union leaders expected by the end of last month to tally the votes for or against proposed new labor contracts at Mesaba Airlines, which finally managed to
Etihad airways gets first 777-300ER in January
Etihad Airways will take delivery of its first 777-300ER on January 6, almost three months later than originally planned.
FBOs
Jet Aviation opens Dubai FBO grandly
Jet Aviation held the official grand opening of its new Dubai FBO and maintenance center Sunday night in front of local dignitaries and officials.
Bold Kingfisher splashes more cash on twinjets
Airbus’ solid sales showing at this year’s show continued yesterday with Kingfisher Airlines’ announcement that it would take another 30 Airbus A320-family
Engines
New Boeing Narrowbody Gets Engine Upgrade
Boeing’s ability to use the same engine for the 737-900ER as it uses on the standard -900 undoubtedly helped the company justify its investment in the proj
Aircraft
Boeing won’t concede end is near for 737 line
Five years had passed since Boeing added a new member to the 737 family, leaving many wondering whether engineers in Seattle had finally stretched the airf
Aircraft
Boeing ranges wide for 200LR orders
Boeing says it can squeeze another 600 nm of range out of the new 777-200LR by adding three fuel tanks, giving the world’s longest-range commercial airline
Saudi Arabian prepares to launch Embraer service
This past year has seen Embraer’s influence traverse industry sectors and spread to every corner of the globe.
Aircraft
Boeing 787’s appeal runs more than skin deep
Now that Boeing has settled on a firm design configuration for its 787 Dreamliner, details that until recently looked sketchy have suddenly crystallized ju
Aircraft
Asian carriers evaluate Boeing’s new son-of-747
Three years had passed since Boeing sold any passenger-carrying 747s when the company surprised the pundits last November by launching the 747-8 on the str
Aero design center slated for Bangalore
Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kansas, and Infosys have agreed to jointly establish a new engineering center at the Infosys campus in Bangalore, India.
Aircraft
Kingfisher adds another 15 ATR 72-500s to fleet
India’s Kingfisher Airlines exercised options on another 15 ATR 72-500s yesterday during French President Jacques Chirac’s official visit to the subcontine
Goodrich gives legs to A380
Goodrich Corp.
Aircraft
Boeing says 787 on schedule
Boeing 787 launch customer All Nippon Airways will take its first airplane in the second quarter of 2008, the program’s vice president of sales, marketing
Aviall’s aftermarket now has global reach
Dallas, Texas-based aftermarket parts and services supplier Aviall (Stand A911) has launched Operation Global Reach, a program designed to showcase the com
This A380 has innards that only an engineer could love
While the star of this year’s Asian Aerospace show came decked out in special Singapore Airlines couture for its runway display, the cavernous interior of
Engines
Powerjet Close to SaM146 first run
PowerJet, the joint venture formed by Russia’s NPO Saturn and France’s Snecma to build the SaM146 turbofan for the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ), will run the
Bombardier wooed Sukhoi for C Series and Russian RJ
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Asia/Pacific regional director Anatoly Mezhevov confirmed here yesterday that Canada’s Bombardier had asked his company to join the n
Aircraft
After C-Series stall, what next for Bombardier?
Bombardier Aerospace’s decision to suspend its long beleaguered C Series has naturally raised questions about what direction the company will take now that
Asia-Pacific market outlooks highlight Airbus-Boeing divide
On one thing Boeing and Airbus agree: the Asia/Pacific region will generate enough demand for their products to keep them busy building lots of airplanes o
Australia in no hurry to throw Qantas to free-market wolves
Pressure from a growing chorus of free market proponents has Qantas scrambling to prepare for a likely “phased” introduction of open skies with Singapore.
Aircraft
Raptor in the running for Japan’s next fighter
Japan’s Air Self Defence Force (JASDF), which is accustomed to having the most modern variants of U.S.
Aircraft
China regional jet market remains on slow simmer
Last month’s order for five ERJ 145s placed by China Eastern Airlines no doubt came as welcome news to the management of the Brazilian-Chinese joint manufa
Aircraft
EASA approval means E-195 deliveries begin
The European Aviation Safety Agency has presented Embraer with a type certificate for its E-195 airliner, the largest airplane in its stable and the last m
U.S. Army helo win boosts EADS clout
EADS North America chairman and CEO Ralph Crosby trumpeted Eurocopter’s newfound status as “a valued, trusted contributor to the U.S.
