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 for the second time in as many days saw a boost to its order book for the beleaguered 737 Max on Tuesday, as it signed a letter of intent with Kazakhstan’s Air Astana covering 30 Max 8s. Scheduled for first delivery in late 2021 to Air Astana’s FlyArystan low-cost operation, the contract anticipates a mix of direct purchases and operating leases.

 


The deal comes the day after Boeing exacted a measure of redemption for the narrowbody program by winning the first firm order for the Max since its grounding in March with a deal for 10 Max 8s from Turkey’s SunExpress. Meanwhile, another airline customer has just placed a&nbsp;firm order for 10 Max 7s and 10 Max 10s, but it wants to remain unidentified until it announces the deal at an event in its home market, according to an official familiar with the negotiations.

 


Appearing alongside Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal at the show Tuesday, Air Astana chief planning officer Alma Aliguzhinova&nbsp;explained that the airline would address a lack of aircraft availability from Boeing by taking its first airplanes on lease. However, Deal cautioned not to interpret the structure of the deal as indicative of “softness in the skyline” and that the company often works with new customers to address backlog barriers.

 


Aliguzhinova&nbsp;reported that she expected to finalize the deal in the “coming months.”

 


Launched this past May, FlyArystan flies a pair of Airbus A320s. Questioned on the reason for the migration from Airbus to Boeing,&nbsp;Aliguzhinova insisted that Airbus’s own delivery delays involving A320neos did not play into the decision.

 


“The nature of the operations of our LCC and our main carrier is so different that it prompted us to run a competition between the manufacturers,” she said. “This is the right aircraft for us and for the mission it’s going to fly, which is mostly domestic and some regional operations.”

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.

Boeing Sees Max Gaining More Order Traction in Dubai

Air Astana has signed an LOI covering 30 Boeing 737 Max 8s.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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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.

ATR 72 aircraft performs pre-modification flight in Toulouse

Kepplair Starts Converting ATR 72 Into Water Bombers

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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.

Only the piston aircraft segment posted a decline

GAMA: Bizjets, T-props, and Rotorcraft Deliveries Up

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Two captains held the prototype 33 feet above the water for 30 seconds

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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.

Icing approval would open year-round service to northern communities

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Deal to close this year

Bombardier To Grow Manufacturing Capacity with MHICA Buy

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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

Charles Alcock

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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