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

Boeing held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to mark the start of construction of its new <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-air-transport-perspective/2014-01-06/machinists-relent-boeing-build-777x-washington">777X</a> Composite Wing Center at the company’s Everett, Washington campus.&nbsp; The company gained permits for the new 1 million-square-foot facility some seven weeks earlier than anticipated, allowing for an accelerated start to construction.

 


Boeing has committed more than $1 billion in the Everett site for construction and outfitting of the new facility, located on the north side of the main final assembly building.

 


“We're excited with the progress being made on this new facility that will play a crucial role in bringing the 777X to market,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner. “We wouldn't be in this position without the support of our teammates and partners throughout the Puget Sound region and in Olympia; we owe them all a debt of gratitude."

 


Completion of the new building, expected in May 2016, will require some 3.5 million hours of work, said Boeing. The company expects to project to require about 1,200 contract workers at its peak employment level, as well as 31,000 tons of steel, 480 miles of electrical cable, 80,000 linear feet of process piping, 530,000 cubic yards of fill material and 170,000 tons of conrete.

 


The 777X program has drawn orders and commitments for 300 airplanes. The family consists of two models, namely the 777-8X, which will seat some 350 and fly to a range of more than 9,300 nautical miles, and the 777-9X, expected to carry some 400 passengers as far as 8,200 nautical miles. Boeing expects to deliver the first 777X in 2020.

 


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Marks the operator's sixth nomination for the International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) Awards

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

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