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
UAC To Exit Superjet 100, Investors Eye UAE Production Plant
The sale of 49 percent of SuperJet International to a UAE investment group will see a production plant established in Al Ain.
Aircraft
ANZ’s Mission Next Gen Aircraft Program Signs New Partners
Embraer, Heart Aerospace, and Universal Hydrogen have joined ATR and Airbus as partners in Air New Zealand’s program to field a zero-emissions aircraft.
Aircraft
Mitsubishi Heavy Finally Axes SpaceJet Program
Two and a half years since suspension of SpaceJet development, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries cuts its losses and cancels the program.
Aircraft
U.S. Urges Turkey to Enforce Sanctions against Russian Airlines
While calling Turkey “a longstanding and valued NATO ally, the U.S. has urged the country to not become a “safe haven” for illicit Russian transactions.
Accidents
FAA, NTSB Probing Near-Collision of SWA 737 and FedEx 767
A FedEx 767 nearly landed on top of a Southwest Airlines 737 taking off from Austin Bergstrom Airport in Texas.
Aircraft
Airbus, Qatar Airways Settle A350 Surface Degradation Dispute
Following nearly two years of trading barbs, Airbus and Qatar Airways have reached an “amicable” settlement on their dispute over A350 surface degradation.
Aircraft
Boeing Delivers Final 747 to Atlas Air
Thousands of Boeing company employees, airline executives, lawmakers, and program luminaries celebrated the end of the 747’s 53-year production run.
Aircraft
Boeing To Establish 737 Line in Everett, Washington
Now operating two of three lines in Renton, Boeing expects more demand for the 737 Max to require a fourth line at the former 787 assembly bay in Everett.
Airlines
UK Regional Carrier Flybe Ceases Operations
Flybe, a regional airline in the United Kingdom, has entered insolvency for the second time since March 2020.
Aircraft
Boom Breaks Ground on North Carolina Overture Plant
The Overture Superfactory would sit on a 62-acre campus at Greensboro, North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad International Airport.
Aircraft
Embraer Confirms Launch Delay for Proposed Turboprop
Talks between Embraer and potential suppliers for a new turboprop have advanced more slowly than expected.
Aircraft
Airbus To Hire 13,000 Employees This Year
After adding 13,000 employees in 2022, Airbus plans to match that hiring volume this year.
Airlines
Somalian Airspace To Become Class A, Restoring ATC Services
The installation of modern navigation aids ends a 30-year interruption of full air traffic control operations over Somalia and the surrounding region.
Accidents
NTSB Finds More Problems with Final Report on ET Max Crash
Ethiopian authorities say an electrical problem caused the Max 8’s left AOA sensor to fail, an assertion disputed by the NTSB.
Accidents
Boeing To Face Criminal Charges Related to Max Crashes
A Texas federal judge has ruled that Boeing must appear in court on January 26 for arraignment on criminal charges over two fatal 737 Max accidents.
Environment
NASA, Boeing To Fly Truss-braced-wing Demonstrator in 2028
The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator partnership between Boeing and NASA aims to cut fuel burn in narrowbody aircraft by 30 percent.
Aircraft
Avolon Sees Airline Traffic Reaching 2019 Levels by June
Asia will lead a traffic recovery this year as China reenters the market, according to Avolon.
Airlines
FAA Attributes Failure of Notam IT System to Human Error
IT personnel failed to follow procedure while working on the computer system that generates Notams, according to the FAA.
Airlines
FAA Blames Damaged Database File for Notam System Outage
Investigations into the latest air transport system meltdown in the U.S. begin as traffic flows return to normal after a software glitch grounds flights.
ATC
FAA Lifts Grounding Order Following U.S. Notam Outage
Normal airline operations resumed at about 9 a.m. after a failure of the U.S. notam system forced the cancellation of some 850 flights.
Aircraft
Airbus Falls Short of 2022 Delivery Target, Blames Supply Chain
Although supply chain constraints suppressed deliveries, both Airbus and Boeing registered strong sales campaigns last year.
Regulations and Government
Russian MRO Set to Make Parts for Western-built Aircraft
No international mechanism exists to prohibit the manufacture of Boeing and Airbus parts by Russia’s A-Technics.
Regulations and Government
Lack of Fuel Supply Halts Air Traffic In Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea’s Air Niugini ceases domestic flights after sole fuel supplier Puma Energy loses access to U.S. currency.
Accidents
French BEA Concurs with NTSB on Gaps in ET Max Crash Report
France’s BEA joins call for Ethiopian authorities to amend final report on the March 2019 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max.
Airlines
Eurocontrol Calls 2022 a ‘Bounceback’ Year, Sees 2025 Recovery
Europe saw air traffic increase to 83 percent of 2019 levels at the end of last year.
Accidents
NTSB Cites Major Gaps in Ethiopian Final Report on Max Crash
Final report into the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 fails to sufficiently consider flight crew performance, according to U.S. authorities.
Airlines
Southwest Airlines Struggles To Normalize Stricken Ops
After a schedule meltdown triggered by winter storms over the Christmas holiday weekend, Southwest Airlines slashed two-thirds of its flights.
Aircraft
China Eastern Takes Delivery of First Comac C919
China’s Comac ships first of five C919 narrowbodies to launch customer China Eastern Airlines.
Aircraft
Neste, Airbus, and Air France Signal Need to ‘Decarbonize Now’
Sustainable aviation fuel production must increase exponentially to meet aviation’s carbon targets, say stakeholders.
Aircraft
Airbus Probes Superconductivity as Path to Lower Emissions
Airbus and the CERN laboratory expect studies into cryogenic superconducting powertrains to influence the design of the ZeroE hydrogen-powered narrowbody.
