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

A definitive agreement between Boeing and Iran Air announced Sunday calls for delivery of fifty 737 Max 8s, fifteen 777-300ERs and fifteen 777-9s valued at $16.6 billion at list prices. But questions surrounding political environment and its potential effect on the deal remain as an incoming U.S. presidential administration openly critical of Barack Obama’s signature nuclear settlement with Iran prepares to take office in January.

 


Although not yet a firm order, the agreement accompanies for the first time detail of the fleet composition, as well as timing of planned first deliveries.

 


Even though the agreement complies with the terms of the U.S. government license issued to Boeing in September, Congressional Republicans have pledged to block final approval from the U.S. Treasury Department. In fact, the U.S. House of Representatives in November voted 234 to 174 for a bill prohibiting any U.S. transaction connected with the export of passenger airplanes to Iran. The bill would next need to pass the Senate, which, although Republican controlled, failed to pass an earlier bill this summer that would have blocked sales of commercial aircraft with a certain amount of U.S. content. At the time President Obama vowed to veto any such bill, but during the election campaign President-elect Donald Trump pledged to unilaterally abandon the nuclear deal with Iran when he takes office in January.

 


Meanwhile, financing of the package would likely require support from the U.S. ExIm Bank, which effectively can’t finance any significant foreign transactions until Congress allows for the election of a third board member. For a year and a half the ExIm Bank has operated with just two board members, one fewer than needed to approve transactions worth more than $10 million.

 


In a statement issued Sunday, Boeing said that it “coordinated closely” with the U.S. government throughout the process leading up to the sale and that it continues to follow all license requirements as it moves toward implementation of the sales agreement.

 


“Today’s agreement will support tens of thousands of U.S. jobs directly associated with production and delivery of the 777-300ERs and nearly 100,000 U.S. jobs in the U.S. aerospace value stream for the full course of deliveries,” said Boeing. “The first airplanes under this agreement are scheduled for delivery in 2018.”

 


Boeing also counts some 13,600 U.S. supplier and vendor partners comprising a supply chain that it says supports more than 1.5 million U.S. jobs.

 


The Obama Administration's deal with Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions allowed for the lifting of sanctions that until this year prevented any manufacturer from selling airplanes with at least 10 percent U.S. content to airlines in the Islamic Republic. Now, as an incoming administration openly hostile to the deal prepares to assume power in January, Republican politicians have cautioned Obama against taking any action that could compromise Trump’s ability to institute his policies as they relate to Iran.

 


Last month the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a second license to Airbus for the sale of airliners to Iran. The approval covers a second tranche of airliner sales over which Airbus continues to negotiate with Iran Air. The first license, issued in September, covered “short-term” deliveries of 17 A320s and A330s to Iran Air. This second license addresses the remainder of a contract negotiated in January covering 21 airplanes from the current A320 family, 24 A320neo-family airplanes, 27 of the current A330 family, 18 A330-900s, 16 A350-1000s and 12 A380s.

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.

Boeing, Iran Air Announce Deal Worth $16.6 Billion

Conclusion of firm order could hang on support of incoming U.S. administration

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

Charles Alcock

Chinese manufacturing wants to extend range with solid-state batteries

Deliveries Increase as EHang Works to Boost eVTOL Aircraft Performance

Jessica Reed

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.

Jo Damato and Andrew Broom assume additional responsibilities

NBAA Expands Roles for Two Senior Executives

Matt Thurber

Similarities between the piston- and jet-powered Cirruses make transition training easier

Transport Canada Certifies Cirrus SR G7 and Vision G2+

Kerry Lynch

Aircraft will be able to take off in 150 feet of runway

Electra Launches Hybrid-electric EL9 STOL Aircraft

First production-representative Alia CX300 takes flight

Beta Flies First Electric Airplane Produced in Vermont Factory

G700 next headed to the Bahrain International Airshow for display alongside the G500

More In Aircraft

Deliveries Increase as EHang Works to Boost eVTOL Aircraft Performance

Chinese manufacturing wants to extend range with solid-state batteries

NBAA Expands Roles for Two Senior Executives

Jo Damato and Andrew Broom assume additional responsibilities

Transport Canada Certifies Cirrus SR G7 and Vision G2+

Similarities between the piston- and jet-powered Cirruses make transition training easier

Electra Launches Hybrid-electric EL9 STOL Aircraft

Aircraft will be able to take off in 150 feet of runway

Beta Flies First Electric Airplane Produced in Vermont Factory

First production-representative Alia CX300 takes flight

Gulfstream’s G700 Surpasses 65 City-pair Records

G700 next headed to the Bahrain International Airshow for display alongside the G500

FAA Greenlights Honda eVTOL Flight Tests

Honda's secretive eVTOL program picks up steam

Broker: Preowned Cessna Citation Market Remains Mixed

Some models are seeing high demand, others not so much

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN