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

Bombardier’s C Series orderbook swelled to more than 400 airplanes with Monday’s signing of a new firm purchase agreement with Latvia’s Air Baltic calling for delivery of at least another 30 CS300s. The deal also includes options for 15 CS300s and rights to purchase 15 more, potentially raising its value to $5.9 billion. The contract calls for first deliveries in the fourth quarter of next year, after Air Baltic takes the remaining 12 airplanes from its launch order for 20.

 


The order increases Air Baltic’s order backlog to 50 CS300s, making it the largest European C Series customer and the second largest in the world. Now flying eight of the Canadian-built narrowbodies, Air Baltic recently hatched a business plan relying on significant route expansion from all three Baltic countries: Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.

 


“As an early adopter of the C Series, we took a forward-looking decision on advanced technology to support our turnaround plan leading to sustainable profitability, and today we are benefiting from the most fuel-efficient small single-aisle aircraft,” said Air Baltic CEO Martin Gauss. “We successfully executed our fleet modernization strategy, and are excited to further grow our fleet up to 80 CS300 aircraft while phasing out our other aircraft types in the next three years.”

 


Along with its CS300s, Air Baltic flies 11 aging Boeing 737s and 12 Bombardier Q400 turboprops.

 


The deal comes as the C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP) prepares to transfer a majority stake in the program to Airbus by the end of June under the terms of a contract signed last October. Under the deal, Airbus will take a 50.01 percent stake in CSALP, while Bombardier and the Quebec provincial government retain 31 percent and 19 percent, respectively. &nbsp;

 


CSALP’s headquarters, primary assembly line, and related functions will remain in Québec, expanding Airbus’s industrial footprint with additional&nbsp;C Series production at Airbus’s manufacturing site in Mobile, Alabama.

 


“The plans for our partnership with the C Series Aircraft Program are progressing well,” said an internal company memo signed by Airbus CEO Tom Enders and Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare. “The approval process is moving ahead faster than expected and as a result, the transaction is set to conclude by the middle of this year. We all know that the C Series is a remarkable aircraft, and we are looking forward to unleashing its full value through our partnership.”

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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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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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.

The two NATO allies will purchase seven of the tanker/transport aircraft

Spain and Poland Agree to Buy A330MRTT Tanker Transports

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

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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GE Aerospace Flies Boeing 747 To Test New Engine Tech

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

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

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