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

West Star Aviation specializes in airframe repair and maintenance, engine repair and maintenance, major modifications, avionics installation and repair, interior refurbishment, paint, parts, surplus avionics sales, window repair and accessory services.

The ongoing aircraft mechanics shortage has prompted West Star Aviation to open a maintenance school called West Star Aviation Academy (WSAA) in January at its facility in East Alton, Illinois, the company said Tuesday. West Star plans to hire 25 apprentices who will spend seven and a half months learning and earning&nbsp;wages and benefits. They will receive hands-on practical training, mentoring, and job shadowing in preparation for their FAA license tests.
Under a partnership with West Star, Southwestern Illinois College will run WSAA through its Part 147 FAA-approved curriculum at a dedicated learning hangar that incorporates the newly developed Choose Aerospace curriculum and proprietary West Star technical training. West Star says WSAA will accelerate the skill development to certify new technicians more quickly than the industry’s traditional 18- to 30-month apprenticeship programs.
“We are very excited to offer a branded training program leveraging our community educational partners to provide a direct career pathway for those aspiring to be an AMT,” said West Star Aviation CEO Jim Rankin. “For apprentices, it’s an opportunity to make a living while learning a highly skilled technical trade in less than a year. For West Star Aviation, WSAA will help ensure that we continually have a strong pipeline of skilled and licensed technicians to deliver industry-leading MRO services to business aviation customers worldwide.”
After graduating from WSAA, newly licensed AMTs will put their knowledge into practice alongside senior technicians working on in-service aircraft. AMTs will continue receiving additional learning and training opportunities to continually grow their skills. “WSAA ensures a complete standard of formal education, practical hands-on training, and on-the-job training to enhance the work-readiness of new technicians, while substantially increasing our access to qualified talent to meet our ongoing customer needs for service work,” noted West Star vice president of human resources Katie Johnson.

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West Star Aviation To Open a Maintenance Training Academy in January

The company plans to hire 25 paid apprentices

West Star Aviation plans to open a maintenance school called West Star Aviation Academy in January at its facility in East Alton, Illinois.

West Star To Open a Maintenance Training Academy

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West Star Aviation

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