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

Airbus collected some $16.9 billion worth of business during last week’s Farnborough airshow, gaining firm orders for 54 airplanes and MOUs for another 61.


Calling the A350-1000 “the notable star at the show,” Airbus celebrated a firm order from Cathay Pacific for 10 examples of the largest A350XWB, as well as a conversion of previous orders for 16 A350-900s to orders for the likely competitor to Boeing’s proposed 777X.


More positive developments for Airbus’s widebody lineup included a launch order for 10 of the company’s revamped A330s by CIT Group. The 240-metric-ton takeoff weight A330 will offer 400 nm more range and nearly five metric tons more payload-carrying capacity, according to Airbus. All told, Airbus collected commitments for 19 A330s, including a deal for six A330-200s and three A330 Freighters from Synergy Aerospace, a major shareholder in several Latin American airlines.


Meanwhile, the A320 series also scored at Farnborough with commitments for 86 airplanes worth more than $8.4 billion. In all, Airbus collected commitments for 57 of the “Current Engine Option” (CEO) A320 family, including an MOU from China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC) for 36 and a firm order for 20 A321s from Russia’s UTAir. Finally, Airbus drew new commitments for 29 of the forthcoming A320neo from Avolon, Middle East Airlines and Arkia Israel Airlines.


During a press conference last Thursday, Airbus COO for customers John Leahy set a sales target for this year of 300 aircraft in the current A320 series. Since the launch of the Neo roughly a year-and-a-half ago, Airbus has sold 500 of the current aircraft in the A320 series, underscoring the continued viability of the airplanes as well as the long wait for Neo delivery slots. It now holds firm orders for 1,454 Neos from 29 customers.&nbsp;


“The quality of orders at Farnborough has been high at the show, with significant endorsement from leading customers of our strategy to continuously innovate and improve our products,” said Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier. “With the recent announcement last week to build an A320 production line in America, coupled with the start of production for the A320neo in Toulouse, Airbus is cementing its leading global position.” 
 
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Airbus’s Farnborough Orders Bring in $16.9 Billion

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