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

The Pratt &amp; Whitney PW1100G-powered A320neo on November 24 received joint type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the way for first delivery to launch customer Qatar Airways by year-end. &nbsp;

 


EASA certification director Trevor Woods signed the European certificate and FAA Transport Airplane Directorate manager Jeffrey Duven signed the approval on behalf of the U.S. authorities. They presented the type certificates to Airbus executive vice president of engineering Charles Champion and Airbus A320neo chief engineer Pierre-Henri Brousse.

 


“This double seal of approval represents a great achievement for Airbus,” said Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier. “It recognizes the hard work performed by all the teams at Airbus and Pratt &amp; Whitney. It demonstrates the A320neo is meeting all requirements.”

 


The three A320neo flight-test aircraft powered by Pratt &amp; Whitney engines accumulated more than 1,070 flight hours during some 350 flights. Some 300 hours involved the same aircraft in an airline-like environment to ensure operational maturity at entry into service, said Airbus.

 


Two other A320neos—powered by CFM Leap-1A turbofans—continue to fly test missions ahead of expected certification of that variant by the middle of next year. Certification plans call for the A321neo and A319neo in both engines variants to follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Airbus managed to meet the year-end target for certification of the Pratt-powered A320neo despite encountering at least two engine-related problems during the past year. In early October it confirmed that one of the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-10-01/airbus-pratt-analyzing-latest-a320neo-engine-snag">test engines in A320neo MSN6101 suffered “minor damage” following hot-weather trials</a> in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, forcing Airbus to ground the airplane for several weeks. News of that incident came some two months after MSN6101 returned to the air following discovery of a manufacturing defect in a 10-inch-diameter retaining ring in the powerplant’s combustor section. A resulting three-month “pause” in flying forced the manufacturer to revise testing dates and modify the A320neo flight-test program to accommodate the&nbsp;changes. For example, an A320neo powered with Leap-1As had to undertake additional work previously earmarked for the GTF-powered A320neos and unrelated to&nbsp;engine&nbsp;systems.

 


Airbus has drawn orders for more than 4,300 A320neo-family narrowbodies from 75 customers since its launch in 2010.

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.

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News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

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.

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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.

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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Hamburg facility begins SIGINT mission system work

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Bombardier claims the aircraft sets a new bar.

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News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

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