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

Boeing remains circumspect about the possible launch of the NMA, as it continues to study the market for its proposed midsize airliner. Speaking Monday at the Paris Air Show, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Kevin McAllister indicated that the company has yet to make a business case for the proposed NMA, right around the time Airbus officially launched the A321XLR, the long-range single-aisle jet ostensibly designed to serve some of the same markets targeted by its U.S. rival.

 


“Obviously I think one of the big pivots we’ve made as a company is to approach development programs where we drive as much of the definition of the program as far left as possible,” said McAllister. “That’s what we’ve done with the NMA. So when we talk about the business case, we talk not about just airplane size and configuration. We want it to meet the needs of a global base of customers, to be reflective of the dynamics we see today and the dynamics we see tomorrow, one of which is continued saturation of airports.”

 


McAllister also stressed the need to ensure a well-aligned production system and to “leverage every lesson” it learned on the 787, the 737, and even the defense business. “The other piece of this is the supply chain, to make sure we have the right supply chain targeted for the middle of the market airplane, as well as to make sure as we look at our services segment, that that’s accurately defined,” he said.

 


Last summer, just ahead of the Farnborough Airshow, McAllister said Boeing will need to decide on whether or not to proceed with NMA by the end of 2019 to safely meet a stated service entry target of 2025. Since then, Boeing adjusted its sights somewhat, moving its target for industrial launch to early 2020.

 


In the meantime, one potential engine supplier for the program—Rolls-Royce—withdrew from consideration due to a lack of sufficient maturing of its new UltraFan. During a recent briefing in Derby, Dominic Horwood, Rolls-Royce chief customer officer&nbsp;civil aerospace, said it had been a "difficult but responsible decision [but] the timing Boeing wanted just didn't align with our view of the UltraFan program...the NMA opportunity came up very early in our window [for post-Trent planning]."

 


Meanwhile the CEO of another major engine contender—GE boss David Joyce—has expressed some reservation about the size of the market, even after GE and CFM partner Safran agreed to propose a CFM design, despite the fact that the required engine thrust slightly exceeds the 50,000-pound limit the partnership’s remit would typically allow.

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

Boeing Still Not Ready To Commit to NMA 

The launch of the Airbus A321XLR won’t influence Boeing’s calculations of the business case for its proposed new middle-of-the market airplane.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

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

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

Charles Alcock

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

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

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

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

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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Sikorsky and Safran Pledge Increased Collaboration

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Canada Could Keep Gripen Engine Work at Home

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