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

Eurocontrol has issued its European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions, the Brussels-based air traffic management organization announced Wednesday. The plan, directed at all providers and users of European aerodromes, incorporates recommendations from aerodrome operators, navigation service providers, aeronautical information service providers, aircraft operators, manufacturers, professional associations, the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team (ECAST), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and national aviation authorities.


Most of the recommendations called for the uniform and consistent application of ICAO rules, said Eurocontrol. While the agency identified technology as “undoubtedly part of the solution,” prevention of runway excursions also depends largely on training on unfamiliar situations, it added.&nbsp; “Rigorous and realistic training scenarios will better prepare operational staff to cope with decisions to go around or reject a takeoff and lead to the execution of the correct and safe maneuvers,” said Tony Licu, head of Eurocontrol’s Safety Unit.


According to ICAO, runway excursions remain a persistent problem and their numbers have not decreased in more than 20 years. The Flight Safety Foundation said that runway excursions rank as the most common type of aviation accident, accounting for up to 33 percent of cases over the last 16 years.


The release of Eurocontrol’s Action Plan coincides with ongoing efforts by manufacturers to help address the problem with new technology and updated training manuals. Boeing and Embraer, for example, are collaborating on what the companies call Runway Situational Awareness Tools for landing an aircraft. The companies already have begun incorporating new pilot procedures into flight manual updates and expect to finish that task by the summer. The package also includes a free training video Boeing plans to make available early this year. Finally, within roughly a year, the companies expect to finish formulating a detailed implementation plan to introduce joint technology and systems for the flight deck to improve pilot information about approach and landing.


Embraer executive vice president of engineering and technology Mauro Kern explained that the equipment—still in a relatively early developmental stage—would provide both visual and aural cues to aid pilots’ awareness during descent, approach and landing while not compromising intuitiveness. 
 
	&nbsp;

Eurocontrol Issues Runway Excursion 'Action Plan'

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN