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

No one can know precisely what future technology will find its way onto a new airplane that might not appear in service until a decade from now, but Boeing vice president of product development Mike Sinnett seems to have a clear idea of what developmental “levers” the company might pull in its efforts to fill the market space between the 737 Max 9 and the 787-8. During a Paris Air Show briefing on Monday, Sinnett named fuel economy, maintenance costs and training costs as the top considerations. 
“Fuel burn reduction is really important to us, and it always has been,” he said. “If you look at where we are today, we burn 70-percent less fuel than we did with our first-generation jet aircraft. The 737 has improved fuel burn by something like 1.4 percent per year for the last 40 years. So that’s a natural thing and that will go on forever.”
Meanwhile, said Sinnett, maintenance costs have become more important as airplane “functionality” improves and new systems work harder to burn less fuel due to their complexity. Technology enabling the diagnosis of the mechanical health of an airplane while airborne to help maintenance teams move parts before it lands show particular promise in the effort to lower those costs, he added. In terms of training costs, the most effective means to lower costs will likely continue to lie with systems and cockpit commonality between aircraft types.
“So much of the cost of the pilot has nothing to do with him flying the airplane on the day he flies it,” said Sinnett. “It’s in all the training that gets him capable of flying the airplane. Moving pilots from one airplane to another is a significant expense. The 787 and the 777 have a common type rating. We were told that would be impossible and we took it on as a challenge.”

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’s Sinnett Addresses Cost Fundamentals of New Midsize Airliner

Fuel economy, maintenance costs and training costs are top considerations.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

FlyNYON will offer aerial photography flights on Beta’s Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft

NYC Helitour Operator FlyNYON Orders Beta’s eVTOL Aircraft

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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.

Get a glimpse of Qatar's unique interior appointments.

Step Aboard Qatar Executive's Gulfstream G700 Business Jet

Jilin signs preliminary purchase agreement for 41 EH216-S aircraft

EHang Plans Cold-weather eVTOL Trials in China’s Jilin Province

Republic Airways is the latest customer to receive an aircraft for testing.

Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 Electric Aircraft Debuts at Paris Air Show

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Competing against the Boeing 777, this airliner has a maximum capacity of 410 passengers.

Airbus A350-1000 Airliner Flies at the Paris Air Show

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.

2015 Paris Airshow

More In Aircraft

NYC Helitour Operator FlyNYON Orders Beta’s eVTOL Aircraft

FlyNYON will offer aerial photography flights on Beta’s Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft

Step Aboard Qatar Executive's Gulfstream G700 Business Jet

Get a glimpse of Qatar's unique interior appointments.

EHang Plans Cold-weather eVTOL Trials in China’s Jilin Province

Jilin signs preliminary purchase agreement for 41 EH216-S aircraft

Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 Electric Aircraft Debuts at Paris Air Show

Republic Airways is the latest customer to receive an aircraft for testing.

Airbus A350-1000 Airliner Flies at the Paris Air Show

Competing against the Boeing 777, this airliner has a maximum capacity of 410 passengers.

Fouga CM170 Magister Flies at the Paris Air Show

This French classic is right at home at the Paris Air Show.

Embraer KC-390 Military Airlifter Flies at the Paris Airshow

Nations around the world have ordered the multirole aircraft.

Embraer E195-E2 Airliner Flies at the Paris Air Show

The regional airliner can seat up to 146 passengers.

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN