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&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;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&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;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.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted ATR 120-minute Etops certification of its new -600 series turboprops last month. This Etops (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) certification means that the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 versions can now fly as far as 120 minutes (on one engine) from any airport at which they can land. It therefore allows aircraft to provide direct links between airports located four flight hours from each other (two hours maximum flight time from the departure airport plus two hours maximum flight time to the closest diversion airport). 
The ATR 42 and ATR 72 remain the only regional turboprops to hold 120-minute Etops certification. The distinction, according to ATR, makes them particularly useful in regions such as French Polynesia or Siberia, where the distances between the two closest airports can extend to more than 1,000 nm. The certification allows for more direct flight plans between departure points and the final destination, thereby cutting journey time, fuel consumption and emissions.

ATRs Get ETOPS Nod

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