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

The FAA on Wednesday approved another three altimeter models for use at airports near cell towers where U.S. telecommunications companies AT&amp;T and Verizon plan&nbsp;to activate the 5G C-band. The new approvals allow for 62 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at those airports. As of Monday, the agency had cleared about 45 percent of the fleet to perform low-visibility landings at many of the airports after approving two radar altimeter models installed in a “wide variety” of Boeing and Airbus airplanes. The combination of aircraft and altimeter approval opened runways at as many as 48 of the 88 airports most directly affected by 5G C-band interference, said the FAA.&nbsp;However, international airlines flying affected aircraft models such as the Boeing 777 suspended service to several U.S. cities ahead of an agreement by AT&amp;T and Verizon to delay deployment for the third time. &nbsp;

 


A new safety buffer announced by the FAA on Tuesday around runways near 5G deployment further expanded the number of airports available to airplanes with previously cleared altimeters to perform low-visibility landings.

 


In a statement issued Wednesday, the FAA also said it continues to work with manufacturers to understand how various flight control systems use radar altimeter data.

 


Airplane models with one of the five cleared altimeters include some Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, and MD-10/-11 models and Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350, and A380 models.

 


The Boeing 787 remains one model conspicuously missing from the list. The FAA on Wednesday issued an airworthiness directive (AD) for all three variants of the 787 after determining that during landings, certain airplane systems might not properly transition from AIR to GROUND mode when landing on certain runways. As a result, pilots could experience degraded deceleration performance and longer landing distance than normal due to the effect on thrust reverser deployment, speed brake deployment, and increased idle thrust.

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.

FAA Clears Three More Altimeter Models for Use in 5G Areas

New approvals from the FAA allow for 62 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports near 5G towers.

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

Curt Epstein

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

Hanneke Weitering

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

Regent Flies Electric Seaglider with Crew for First Time

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

Horizon Begins Icing Tests for Cavorite X7 eVTOL

Kerry Lynch

Deal to close this year

Bombardier To Grow Manufacturing Capacity with MHICA Buy

David Donald

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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