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

China Eastern Airlines has resumed service with Boeing 737-800s roughly a month after Flight MU5735 crashed on March 21&nbsp;while en route from Kunming to Guangzhou, killing all 132 people on board. The airline grounded its fleet of 108 of the narrowbodies immediately following the crash in a mountainous area in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

 


According to flight tracking site FlightRadar24, China Southern returned to service the first 737-800, registration B-207L, on Sunday with a flight from Kunming to Chengdu.

 


Along with inspections of China Southern’s 737-800s, the crash prompted a broader review across the Chinese aviation industry under orders from President Xi Jinping and central government leaders. The inspection aimed to further strengthen awareness of what the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) called “bottom lines” and “to troubleshoot safety hazards in the civil aviation field to guarantee higher-level safety of aviation operations and people’s lives.”

 


The inspection covered regional air traffic management bureaus, airlines, service provider companies, airport companies, and flight training institutions and focuses on safety awareness, the building of professional teams, implementation of rules and standards, safety management chains, safety support capabilities, and fulfillment of safety responsibilities.

 


Chinese authorities continue to investigate the crash with the help of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which assisted with the download of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders in Beijing. The CAAC said it planned to submit a preliminary report to ICAO within 30 days of the accident.

 


The Boeing 737-800 involved in the crash departed Kunming in southwestern China for a scheduled flight to Guangzhou&nbsp;but lost contact over the city of Wuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Surveillance footage showed the jet in a nearly direct nosedive into terrain. According to data from flight tracking site FlightRadar24, MU5735 began to quickly lose altitude while cruising at 29,100 feet and descended to about 9,000 feet in just over two minutes. FlightRadar24’s last altitude indication shows the airplane at 3,225 feet.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

China Eastern Returns Boeing 737-800s to Service

Almost a month after the crash of China Eastern Flight MU5735, Chinese authorities cleared the airline’s fleet for return to scheduled service.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

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.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

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Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

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Curt Epstein

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.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

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Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

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Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

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NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

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Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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