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

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has picked Airbus to provide cabin retrofit services for 14 A380s now in service with the carrier. The retrofit program, which SIA Engineering will undertake in Singapore, will see the airline’s recently launched cabin products installed on the aircraft. Schedules call for the new cabin products to debut on five new A380s delivered this year and next year.

 


Under the agreement, Services by Airbus will take responsibility for Service Bulletin (SB) and aircraft cabin parts-kit delivery. Its teams will also contribute their A380 design knowledge and engineering expertise to integrate SIA’s customized cabin fittings into the A380’s double-deck interior. Airbus expects the retrofit work to start in late 2018 and to complete all 14 aircraft by 2020.

 


Singapore Airlines’ new A380 cabin offers more personal space in all classes. The aircraft will carry a total of 471 passengers, with six private suites and 78 business class seats on the upper deck and 44 premium economy and 343 economy class seats on the main deck.

 


“We are very pleased to have been selected by Singapore Airlines to integrate its new A380 cabin, which will offer its passengers the best and latest on-board products,” said Airbus head of services Laurent Martinez. “Singapore Airlines’ trust in our retrofit competencies is a positive sign for the development of our services business, in particular in the fast growing Asia-Pacific region.”

 


Airbus’s global market forecast projects that over the next 20 years the commercial aircraft upgrades services market will generate $180 billion, driven in part by high competition between airlines who value the “passenger experience” as a differentiator as well as systems upgrades. Airbus expects 38 percent of the demand will come from the Asia-Pacific region.

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 information on safety procedures and concerns.

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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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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