Gregory Polek
Senior Editor
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 New Jersey Monthly 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 Aviation International News 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.
Latest from Gregory Polek
RegionsAir won’t go down without a fight
Grounded Jetstream 32/Saab 340 operator RegionsAir filed suit last month against the federal government for breach of contract and seizing property without
Communities getting lost in Essential Air Service shuffle
Each year the Bush Administration tries to slash funding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, and each year it fails, thanks in no small part to ad
Safety
Eagle Ramp Worker Killed on Job
A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Labor said the agency would need until at least the middle of next month to finish its investigation into
Airlines struggle to curb pressure on pilot staffing
Pilot attrition proved the bane of the U.S.
Alteon Closing Four Training Centers, Opening One
An extensive “restructuring” of Boeing’s Alteon Training subsidiary will see the company close four training centers, redistribute assets to other centers
Regulations and Government
Communities getting lost in Essential Air Service shuffle
Each year the Bush Administration tries to slash funding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, and each year it fails, thanks in no small part to ad
Aircraft
Boeing prepares Dreamliner to enter flight-test program
Some 15,000 well-wishers witnessed the first public appearance last month of the Boeing 787 in Everett, Wash., an event broadcast live via satellite in nin
Aircraft
Chinese Airline Chooses MA60
China’s Xi’an Aircraft Company (XAC) landed the largest-ever order from a Chinese airline for its MA60 regional turboprop last month.
Financial straits of majors hang heavy over euro regionals gathering
Long a concern for regional airlines and the world’s two largest regional jet makers, a growing pessimism about the future of not only US Airways but also
Fleet renewals fatten OEMs’ backlogs
An extended period of order taking for the world’s makers of regional airliners showed little sign of relenting last month, as Canada’s Bombardier grabbed
STL To Gain Seven AA Connections
Trans States and Chautauqua Airlines will serve seven new destinations from St.
SkyWest Union Fight Heats Up
Both sides claimed victory last month in the latest ALPA organizing effort at SkyWest Airlines after a U.S.
Gulfstream To Go Public
The holding company for Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based regional Gulfstream International Airlines and Gulfstream Training Academy hopes to raise some $10.2 mi
Maintenance and Modifications
ERJ Landing Gear Fault Warning
Embraer sent all operators of ERJ regional jets and Legacy business jets a field service letter reminding pilots of the procedure to follow in the event th
Tu-334 okayed, with asterisk
Russia’s Air Register of International Aviation Committee (AMRAK) in late June awarded the Tupolev Tu-334 regional jet AP-25 certification, allowing revenu
Embraer's gobal reach extends ever farther afield
Brazil’s Embraer continued to spread its steadily expanding influence among the world’s airlines last month with a 12-aircraft order for 76-seat Embraer 17
Bombardier turns cool on composites for airliners
As studies on Bombardier’s proposed 110- to 130-seat jets progress, all the early talk about extensive use of new high-tech composites in the airframe now
Four more Q400s headed for Japan
Bombardier’s once beleaguered Q400 turboprop continued its steady but certain market penetration in the Far East last month when Japan Air Commuter committ
Finnair is latest Embraer convert
The newly established leasing arm of Finnish flag carrier Finnair last month placed a firm order for 12 Embraer 170 regional jets as part of a deal worth m
728 proprietor files for insolvency
Fairchild Dornier Aero Industries has filed for bankruptcy protection in a German district court, virtually ensuring the end of the latest attempt to resus
Legislator goes to bat against Independence Air
The House aviation subcommittee plans to hold a hearing at the behest of Rep.
Bell: survival requires fewer vendors
Bell Helicopter’s commercial division knows as well as anyone about the challenge of making a living in a stagnant industry that appears unlikely to grow b
Aircraft
More range for Smaller E-jets
Embraer has launched a program to add as much as 300 nm of range to its 70- and 76-seat E-Jets.
Rising tide raises all boats in the air transport business
The cyclical nature of the airline business showed its inevitability again at this year’s Regional Airline Association convention, held May 21 to 24 in Mem
Comair Employee Admits to Smuggling
Former Comair employee Zabdiel Santiago Balaguer pleaded guilty in Orlando federal court last month to gun and drug smuggling.
Accidents
Near Disaster at SFO
The NTSB last month announced an investigation into a May 26 incident at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in which two regional airliners came wit
ATR Names New CEO
The ATR Assembly of Members has named Stéphane Mayer, 44, CEO of the company effective June 1.
Comair Fined for Holiday Snafu
The Department of Transportation has fined Comair $75,000 for misleading passengers about the cause of the rash of Christmas Day 2004 flight cancellations
Lynx To Fly September 5
Frontier Airlines expects to take delivery of its first Bombardier Q400 this month and launch service aboard the 74-seat turboprop with its new Lynx Aviati
Aircraft
Air France-KLM admits to previous Boeing 777, 737 order
The Air France-KLM Group revealed itself yesterday as the customer that placed a previous order for nine Boeing 777-300ERs and seven 737-700s.
