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 plans to publish an Airworthiness Directive (AD) on January 27 that will limit operations of current Boeing 777 and 747-8 variants into airports where notams identify the presence of 5G C-band interference.

 


The FAA determined that anomalies due to 5G C-band interference might affect multiple airplane systems using radio altimeter data, including the pitch control laws that provide tail strike protection, regardless of the approach type or weather. The interference could cause missing or erroneous radio altimeter data used by the flight control system to result in what the FAA terms uncommanded, inappropriate pitch inputs, adversely affecting controllability. It could also cause multiple erroneous flight deck effects, such as misleading flight director information, erroneous autothrottle behavior, and flight mode annunciations.

 


When combined with the effects of the uncommanded, inappropriate pitch inputs, the flight deck anomalies could affect the flight crew’s ability to safely land, said the AD. Other systems that the missing or erroneous data could affect include the autopilot; flight director system; autothrottle system; engines; flight controls; flight instruments; traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS); ground proximity warning system (GPWS); and configuration warnings.

 


The directive affects 336 airplanes in the U.S. and 1,714 worldwide. It does not apply to landings at&nbsp;airports&nbsp;where the FAA determined that the aircraft altimeters are safe and reliable in the 5G C-band environment. It also does not apply to airports where U.S. telecom companies Verizon and AT&amp;T haven’t deployed 5G.

 


In a statement, United Airlines said that means it doesn’t anticipate any effect on its 777 operators thanks to the AD’s alternative means of compliance (AMOC), for which operators must send a request to their principal inspectors or responsible Flight Standards Office (FSO).

 


By Wednesday the FAA had approved at least 20 radar altimeter models for use at airports near cell towers where AT&amp;T and Verizon plan&nbsp;to activate the 5G C-band, allowing for 90 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at those airports. The FAA’s list of aircraft models that use cleared altimeters includes the Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, and MD-10/-11 models and Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350, and A380 models.

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 Order Affects Boeing 777, 747-8 Ops in 5G Areas

An Airworthiness Directive scheduled for publication on January 27 will limit 777 and 747-8 operations at certain airports. 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charlotte Bailey

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.

More In Aircraft