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

Southwest Airlines has promised to accelerate inspections of the CFM56-7B turbofans in its fleet of Boeing 737s following early indications of metal fatigue in the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2018-04-17/engine-explosion-aboard-southwest-airlines-737-kills-passenger">engine that blew apart during an April 17 flight</a> from New York La Guardia Airport to Dallas Love Field. The Boeing 737-700 diverted to Philadelphia International Airport, where U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigators found evidence that one of the fan blades in the left engine separated at its hub attachment point. During the flight, pieces of the engine penetrated a cabin window above the left wing, killing one of the passengers. &nbsp;

 


The incident appears reminiscent of a 2016 case of uncontained engine failure in another Southwest Airlines 737-700, one of whose CFM56s exploded during a flight from New Orleans to Orlando, Florida. In that case, the NTSB determined that a fan blade separated from the fan disk during the flight due to metal fatigue. Although engine debris created a 5-inch by 16-inch hole in the fuselage just above the left wing, none of the debris penetrated the passenger compartment.

 


Although, in response, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration proposed a still pending&nbsp;airworthiness directive requiring ultrasonic inspection procedures for certain CFM56 engines, NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt told reporters at a press conference in Philadelphia he did not know whether or not the order applied to the engine at the center of the most recent case.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Failed Southwest CFM56 Shows Signs of Metal Fatigue

Airline promises to quicken pace of inspections following fatal incident involving Boeing 737-700 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

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.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

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.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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