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

This month’s rollout of the first Airbus A320neo fitted with CFM Leap-1A engines marked a major milestone for GE Aviation, which, along with its CFM International partner Snecma, expects to build more than 1,600 CFM engines in all this year. The figure amounts to nearly a third of the 2,800 engines GE and its partners plan to build in 2015, compared with 2,600 units in 2013.

 


GE reported on Wednesday that the jet engine backlog including CFM engines now totals 15,000, and that the value of its total industrial backlog for equipment and long-term services contracts has grown 25 percent over the past two years, to $135 billion. The U.S.-based group and its partners now expect to deliver 3,000 commercial engines by 2020. Over the next five years the number of commercial jet engines in operation from GE and its partners will increase by about 10,000, according to company estimates.

 


Much of the engine backlog involves new powerplants under development, including the Leap, whose backlog now stands at more than 8,500 engines.&nbsp;GE and Snecma expect the Leap to enter revenue service in 2016 on the Airbus A320neo.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the new GE9X turbofan, under development for the Boeing 777X, carries a backlog of about 700 engines. If all goes as planned it would enter service at the end of the decade.

 


By the end of this year, GE and its partner companies expect to see 36,000 commercial jet engines in service, and about 46,000 by 2020.

 


GE Aviation’s preparation for the increasing production volumes involves expanding its supply chain through new facilities, upgrades of existing plants, new joint ventures and acquisitions.&nbsp; In the past eight years, GE has opened seven new U.S. facilities. Recent infrastructure investments include about $144 million in 2014-2015 at GE Aviation’s world headquarters in Evendale, Ohio, where the company has chosen to locate a new combustion test center and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) laboratory.

 


Last year GE opened the first factory in Asheville, North Carolina, to mass produce CMC parts for commercial and military engines. Later this year, the company expects to begin mass producing the interiors of the Leap engine’s fuel nozzle using additive manufacturing technology in Auburn, Alabama. Finally, near Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, the company continues construction of a new 300,000-square-foot Leap assembly factory scheduled to become operational next year. &nbsp;

 


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News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

GE Readies for Leap Ramp-Up as Total Backlog Grows

GE and partners expect to build 2,800 engines this year

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Magni650 electric propulsion unit simulated flight at 30,000 feet on a testbed aircraft

MagniX and NASA Complete Electric Propulsion Ground Tests

Sarah Rose

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

RTX company Pratt & Whitney Canada is part of the government-backed INSAT program

Hydrogen Combustion Test To Start on PW127XT Turboprop Engine

Companies signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration

ZeroAvia and PowerCell Agree To Scale Up Fuel Cell Partnership

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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