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

Pratt &amp; Whitney has expressed its readiness for the challenge to its APU business posed by the recent decision by Boeing and Safran to collaborate on their own product. Appearing on June 12 at the company’s Digital Accelerator in Brooklyn, New York, company president Bob Leduc acknowledged that the involvement of Boeing would create some further competitive “pressure,” but no more so than any other company would.

 


“Boeing made the decision to come into APUs; it’s just another competitor,” he said. “We’re confident in our technology, we’re confident in our product, and we’ll compete. Is it more pressure? Sure it is. But the competition is welcome.”

 


Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada president John Saabas highlighted the company’s long pedigree in APU development, noting that his company’s APUs have run for more than 100 million hours and that 10,000 of its units now fly in the commercial aviation segment. “Right now we’ve got a very well established customer base,” said Saabas. “And we’ve found ourselves with some APUs as single source on some of the newer platforms as well. So, again, we’ll compete every day; we’ve got good products out there and we’ll find a way to stay in the marketplace.”

 


Announced in early June, the Boeing-Safran contract calls for both companies to maintain a 50 percent stake in the partnership, which they will base in the U.S. The sides hope to close the transaction in the second half of this year following the meeting of customary conditions including regulatory and antitrust clearance.

 


The arrangement will for the first time give Boeing an in-house capacity for APU provision, leaving respective Tier 1 suppliers for the 737 and 787, Honeywell and Pratt Canada, competitors rather than partners in the field.

 


Safran has built APUs since 1962, and now supplies a line whose largest member can produce up to 500 shp. Larger APUs from Honeywell appear in both the 737 and Airbus A320, while APUs from Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada provide auxiliary power for the 787 and Airbus A380. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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

Pratt & Whitney Up for APU Challenge from Boeing

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2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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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.

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

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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.

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

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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.

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

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.

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

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

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

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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