Gregory Polek
Senior Editor
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 New Jersey Monthly 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 Aviation International News 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.
Latest from Gregory Polek
Aircraft
‘Overloaded’ Airbus promises A350XWB will hit its targets
Airbus insists the A350-800XWB will make it to market on time in 2013, despite the company’s failure to close on plant divestments that would have helped p
Aircraft
787 Horizontal Stabilizer Passes Fatigue Tests
Alenia Aeronautica has completed destructive testing on the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the companies announced today.
Aircraft
First A320 Parts Head to Tianjin
Airbus has started sending the first aircraft sections to the new A320 assembly line in Tianjin, China, the company announced today.
Aircraft
787 Fatigue Airframe Departs Factory
Boeing last Thursday moved the 787 prototype designated for fatigue testing (aircraft No.
Aircraft
Boeing Completes 787 Power-on
Boeing has completed the power-on sequence for the first 787 Dreamliner, the company announced today.
Safety
NTSB Calls on FAA To Address Pilot Fatigue
The NTSB cited three accidents and an incident involving a regional airline as the basis for a pair of
Boeing Starts 787 Power-on Process
Boeing has begun the so-called power-on process for the 787 in Everett, Wash., the company confirmed today.
Maintenance and Modifications
Boeing Closes on Global Aeronautica Acquisition
Boeing has closed on the deal to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries’ interest in Global Aeronautica, the fuselage subassembly maker for the Boeing 787.
Aircraft
First Legacy delivery slips to December
Certification setbacks have postponed Embraer’s plans to deliver the first Legacy business jet to launch customer Swift Aviation.
NTSB Cites Pilots’ Poor Decision-making in Report on CRJ Overrun
The NTSB said today that a Pinnacle Airlines CRJ200 overran the end of a runway in Traverse City, Mich., last year because the pilots elected to land in sn
Delta Seeks To Sever Ties with Pinnacle
Delta Air Lines has notified Pinnacle Airlines that it intends to dissolve their Delta Connection contract, effective July 31.
Regionals Update: Island Air to fly from KC
The DOT has awarded Hawaii’s Island Air the rights to fly three EAS routes from Kansas City International Airport now served by Mesa Air Group subsidiary A
Regionals Update: Horizon to go all turboprop
Horizon Airlines will shed its 20 Bombardier CRJ700s as part of a strategy to transition to a uniform fleet of between 48 and 53 Bombardier Q400 turboprops
Regionals Update: ExpressJet rejects SkyWest takeover
A committee composed of independent outside members of Houston-based ExpressJet’s board of directors unanimously rejected a proposal from St.
Regionals Update: Mesa settles with Hawaiian
Mesa Air Group has dropped its appeal of an $80 million award issued to Hawaiian Airlines and agreed to pay a $52.5 million settlement for using confidenti
Regional Airline Association 2008 Convention Report
A trip from the site of last year’s RAA annual convention in Memphis to the venue chosen for this year’s edition, held in Indianapolis last month, covers b
Bombardier Expresses Regret over Japan Q400 Incident
Bombardier Aerospace expressed “regrets” this week over a March 13, 2007, accident involving a Q400 turboprop at Japan’s Kochi Airport after the Japanese A
Airports
Midway reopens for business, but without its regional jets
Some $10.1 million in direct government aid allowed Midway Airlines to reopen for business December 19, but its days as a regional/national hybrid operatin
Eagle pilots stew over new Connection contracts
As Chautauqua Airlines took delivery of its first four 44-seat Embraer ERJ-140s on December 1, the Air Line Pilots Association prepared to intensify effort
Regulations and Government
Senate defense bill may salvage 44 EAS cities
The $63 million appropriated for the Essential Air Service program in this year’s transportation bill appeared likely to increase to a level closer to the
CEO's abrupt departure fuels uncertainty at Great Plains
Since it began flying a pair of 32-seat Fairchild Dornier 328JETs from its base in Tulsa, Okla., last April, Great Plains Airlines has been promoting plans
Regionals Update: Northwest Airlink reorganizes Memphis ops
Northwest Airlink subsidiary Express Airlines I will move to an all-regional-jet fleet and Minneapolis-based Mesaba Airlines will provide all Northwest Air
Regionals Update: Delta Connection accelerates realignment
All four of Delta Air Lines’ regional affiliates benefited from the company’s continuing network realignment last month, as Delta concentrates ever more in
Regionals Update: Eagle to bring RJs to LAX
American Eagle last month announced plans to launch regional jet service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) beginning next month, with service to
Regionals Update: Mesa returns to Denver next month
Mesa Air Group’s recently signed code-share agreement with Frontier Airlines calls for the Phoenix-based regional airline to begin flights from Denver Inte
Aircraft
Regionals Update: ACA retires last of J32s
0Atlantic Coast Airlines ended 13 years of 19-seat aircraft operations when it retired the last of its Jetstream 32 turboprops on December 3.
Editors' Choice: Earl Robinson rolls with the punches
In boxing parlance, you might say Earl Robinson can take a punch.
Editors' Choice: Jonathan Ornstein makes waves in regional circles
In an industry led by comparatively conservative, low-key individuals, one regional airline executive not only tolerates the spotlight, he welcomes it.
Editors' Choice: Comair pilots strike
The summer of 2001 saw regional airline executives sweating from more than the heat of the season, as 89 days of uncertainty produced by the pilots of Cinc
Security, EAS appropriations dominate discourse in D.C.
The Regional Airline Association’s first formal get-together since the events of September 11 assumed an understandably reflective mood, as some of the ind
