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

Closure of a pair of major A220 orders during the last week of December helped Airbus’s sales team finish an underwhelming 2018 with a&nbsp;flourish. The orders, from JetBlue and the U.S. low-fare start-up code-named Moxy, totaled 120 airplanes—60 from each customer—and marked the first additions to the manufacturer’s A220 backlog since it took control of the former Bombardier C Series program in June. Airbus plans to assemble all the airplanes on a new A220 line in Mobile, Alabama, at the site of the manufacturer’s U.S. A320 production. Schedules call for construction of the new plant to begin this month.

 


The order from JetBlue, covering 60 A220-300s, closes on a memorandum of understanding signed in July, a day after Airbus announced the rebranding of the Bombardier CS100 and larger CS300 as the A220-100 and -300, respectively. In a presentation on the replacement plan for its Embraer E190 fleet on July 11, JetBlue executive v-p and CFO Steve Priest explained the rationale for the airline’s decision to replace its Embraer E190s with the somewhat larger A220.

 


“We had to make a very, very difficult decision between two excellent next-generation aircraft,” he said. “While the E190 fleet is relatively young, it will require significant investment into the next decade to be economically viable for us through to its full useful life.”

 


JetBlue expects to take deliveries of A220-300s from 2020 to 2025. Thirty E190s owned by JetBlue will start leaving the fleet in 2020, followed by another 30 leased E190s in 2023.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 


Coincidentally, JetBlue founder David Neeleman now leads the new venture temporarily known as Moxy, plans for which call for services to start in 2021. Revealing some of the basic strategy at the Farnborough Air Show in July, Neeleman explained that the airline would serve point-to-point markets not directly connected by competitors such as JetBlue or Southwest Airlines. International services would connect cities in the U.S. with points in Latin America. Neeleman now runs Azul, the Brazilian airline he founded with E195s after leaving JetBlue in 2007. Azul also flies Airbus A320-family jets and holds an order for A330s.

 


“The A220-300 is the right airplane for a new airline that will be focused on passenger service and satisfaction,” said Neeleman in reference to Moxy. “With a low cost of operation and spacious cabin, the A220 will allow us to provide passengers with lower fares and a high-quality, comfortable flying experience. The A220’s ability to operate profitably in thin, underserved markets across a broad spectrum of ranges is unique.”

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.

Airbus Seals Deals for 120 A220s

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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 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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Only the piston aircraft segment posted a decline

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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.

GE Aerospace has tested the GE9X, Leap 1A, Leap 1B, and more with the 747.

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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