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
Aircraft
Airbus continues to roll with firm orders for 35 A330s
Airbus followed Monday’s spectacular order flourish with a strategically important pair of contracts for members of its A330 family.
Alenia and Xian Ink Deal on ATR Production
Alenia Aeronautica and Xian Aircraft Company (XAC) of China yesterday announced an agreement for the production of a section of the ATR turboprop’s rear fu
Aircraft
Gallois claims full recovery for Airbus
Airbus chief executive Louis Gallois declared yesterday that the European consortium “is back, fully back,” from an odyssey through one of the most trying
Airbus sales boost confidence
Airbus looked intent on making up for two years of persistent hits to its credibility virtually all at once yesterday with a nearly uninterrupted string of
Aircraft
Viking cuts metal on its Twin Otter
Some two months after announcing the relaunch of 19-seat Twin Otter production, Canada’s Viking Aerospace has begun cutting metal on the first unit at its
727 blown-up in the name of security
The National Research Council of Canada Institute for Aerospace Research (Hall 3, C7, D7, D7B, E7 and E7B) has successfully completed a three-day controlle
Esterline buys into integration
Esterline Corporation’s $335 million acquisition of Canada’s CMC Aerospace three months ago has in no small part played a role in the company’s record stoc
Engines
Boeing: one engine will cut costs on new 747-8
A 16-percent operating cost improvement sounds like a formidable hurdle for any aircraft program, but even more so for one at its outset seen as a low-risk
Honeywell bullish on defense acquisition
Some three weeks after closing negotiations to buy defense logistics contractor Dimensions International, Honeywell Defense and Space president Ed Wheeler
Honeywell shakes up suppliers
Now that Honeywell Aerospace CEO Rob Gillette has finished realigning the company’s product divisions into a more customer-oriented structure, his most dau
Hamilton Sundstrand puts the charge into more electrics
By all indications, the era of the “more electric” airplane suits Hamilton Sundstrand and its president, Dave Hess.
Aircraft
900ER not necessarily the end of the line
Quite possibly the last member of the best selling family of airliners in the history of the industry, the recently certified Boeing 737-900ER has at once
Alcoa busy with metals in an age of composites
At a time when the state-of-the-art in aerostructures design more and more often involves the use of carbon-fiber laminates, companies like Alcoa Aerospace
Reports of progress ease growing pains at ExpressJet
In the wake of a first quarter that saw his airline’s operating margins cut by more than half from a year earlier, ExpressJet CEO Jim Ream didn’t see much
RAA 2007: RAA’s message to FAA: clean up your notams
RAA technical affairs vice president Dave Lotterer doesn’t object to the use of so-called electronic flight bags for navigating runways and taxiways.
RAA 2007: TSA ‘making progress’ on consistent standards
The March arrest of two Comair employees and three accomplices for smuggling drugs and guns onto a Delta Air Lines flight from Orlando to San Juan, Puerto
RAA 2007: RegionsAir’s loss becomes others’ gain
Three regional airlines will fill the service void left in 12 small and medium-size communities in six states by the March 9 closure of Smyrna, Tenn.-based
RAA 2007: Five nations fielding new RJ entries
Antonov | An-148
The 80-seat Antonov An-148-100 won type approval from Russian and Ukrainian authorities in late February, marking the successful
Safety
Comair Probe Prompts NTSB Letter
An April 10 safety recommendation issued by the NTSB calls for the FAA to revise its policies related to air traffic controller work schedules to account f
Mesaba Reorganization Approved
Mesaba Airlines expected to exit bankruptcy during the last week of April, following the approval of its reorganization plan by U.S.
Mokulele Launches go!Express
Mesa Air Group’s latest code-share partner, Kona, Hawaii-based Mokulele Airlines, flew its first scheduled flight as go!Express last month with a new nine-
Aircraft
Lufthansa To Split Big Jet Order
The board of Deutsche Lufthansa, Europe’s second-largest airline, has approved a $1.5 billion expenditure for 30 Embraer E190s and 15 Bombardier CRJ900s.
Compass Takes Flight
Northwest Airlines’ newest regional subsidiary, Compass Airlines, planned to launch twice-daily service on May 2 between Minneapolis and Washington Dulles
RAA 2007 special section: Pinnacle eyes summit of regional biz
This year’s RAA Convention couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time and place for Memphis, Tenn.’s hometown airline.
Regulations and Government
RAA 2007 special section: Cohen front and center at FAA funding debate
The Regional Airline Association opens the next chapter in its 32-year history this year as new association president Roger Cohen presides over his first R
Markets watch for weakness as Independence takes flight
The new discount-fare incarnation of Atlantic Coast Airlines known as Independence Air on June 16 launched revenue service with the first cadre of Bombardi
Finnish Regional Joins Star Alliance
Finland’s Blue1 last month became the first regional airline ever to join the Star Alliance.
Aircraft
Boeing Denies Pullout from RRJ
Despite the standoff between Boeing and the Russian government over import tax relief for U.S.-made commercial jets, the Chicago-based manufacturer i
Mesa Examines Low-fare Option
Keenly aware that code-share partner US Airways might not survive the growing threat of another bankruptcy, Mesa Air Group has expanded its contingencies t
Shuttle America, US Air To Part
Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Shuttle America will sever all ties with US Airways effective October 2, leaving four more destinations without scheduled service fr
