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

Virgin Australia completed its <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2012-12-04/virgin-bids-australias-skywest">acquisition of Perth-based regional Skywest Airlines</a> last month through a so-called scheme of arrangement governed by the laws of Singapore. 
Announced last October 30, the deal sees the Western Australian regional assume the Virgin Australia brand and, according to Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti, benefit from further investment by the parent company. Plans call for Skywest to continue to fly its fleet of Fokker 100s and 50s, along with a single Airbus A320, under its own operator’s certificate and management team. It also flies a fleet of ATR 72-500s and -600s under a wet-lease agreement with Virgin Australia signed in 2011. 
In a statement, Virgin Australia said the acquisition provides it with the assets and capabilities to “fast-track” plans to expand its presence in “fly-in-fly-out” regional markets. 
“This acquisition gives Virgin Australia the ability to increase competition in these important market segments, which in turn will benefit jobs and tourism, especially in growing regional markets including Western Australia,” concluded Borghetti.

Virgin Australia Completes Skywest Buy

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN