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
AFA complaints over cabin searches falling on deaf ears
Some two months after first airing concerns over what it called insufficient training of flight attendants for cabin security searches, the Association of
Regionals Update: Bombardier expands CRJ base in central Europe
Malev Hungary Airlines last month placed a firm order for two 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets and options for another six.
Regionals Update: Lufthansa CityLine averts pilot strike with last-minute accord
Lufthansa CityLine reached a tentative contract agreement with its 663 pilots in late February, narrowly averting a strike that threatened to derail the Ge
Regionals Update: Embraer struck by new order deferrals
Milwaukee-based Midwest Express has informed Brazil’s Embraer that it wants to delay delivery of its Skyway subsidiary’s first ERJ-140 regional jets until
Regionals Update: Mesa to sell maintenance assets to Pratt & Whitney Canada
Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group has signed a memorandum of understanding to enter a new fleet management program with Pratt & Whitney Canada that would in
Regionals Update: Virgin Express-SN Brussels talks collapse
Merger talks between Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines–the renamed regional successor of bankrupt Sabena Airlines–came to a crashing halt in late Feb
Regionals Update: CRJ700 fuel leaks lead to emergency AD
Transport Canada last month notified the FAA of a potentially dangerous fuel system defect in Bombardier’s new CRJ700 regional jet, prompting the U.S.
Regionals Update: American Eagle faces more fines from FAA
The FAA has proposed levying a $1 million fine against American Eagle for failing to comply with the company’s oil-consumption monitoring program.
US Air RJ talks collapse as Siegel takes helm
Scope-clause negotiations between US Airways and the Air Line Pilots Association reached an impasse just days after the beleaguered airline early last mont
Aircraft
Hard times push Fairchild into arms of a new partner
A virtually stagnant market for new commercial airplanes and a rapidly eroding capital base have convinced German airframe builder Fairchild Dornier to pur
Mesa-Frontier partnership best described as frosty
Less than nine months into a pro-rate code-share contract with Frontier Airlines that called for the introduction of seven Bombardier CRJs into the Frontie
Retooled and realigned, Augsburg set for recovery
Bavarian regional airline Augsburg Airways, wholly owned by Germany’s Haindl family, hopes to approach break-even margins by the end of this year following
Fruits of reform slow to ripen in Latin America
Obstacles against the development of a thriving regional airline industry in Latin America in many respects look as formidable as ever.
As Congress takes a recess, RAP’s Parker rallies his troops
Regional Aviation Partners (RAP), the new Phoenix-based lobbying organization established by Mesa Air Group chairman Jonathan Ornstein as an advocate for s
One more turn of the screw at AMR
AMR’s long-anticipated plan to shed its San Juan, Puerto Rico-based Executive Airlines division appeared all but secured after American Eagle signed a lett
Storm clouds gather over RAA fall meeting
An RAA fall meeting understandably marked by apprehension and uncertainty also assumed a palpable air of cynicism this year, as an industry whose fate appe
Latest long-legged ERJ makes ExpressJet debut
Houston-based ExpressJet became the first airline to operate a scheduled flight with Embraer’s extended-range ERJ-145XR on November 1, when the Continental
Aircraft
Regionals Update: Bombardier signs new training deal in China
Bombardier announced during last month’s Zuhai Air Show that the Qingdao Fei Sheng International Aviation Technology Development Training Co.
SkyWest Signs New Deals with Delta, Bombardier
Shortly after announcing plans to accept delivery of another 10 ex-Comair Canadair Regional Jets, St.
Regionals Update: Chautauqua launches Delta Connection service
Chautauqua Airlines on November 1 became the fifth regional airline to fly as Delta Connection, when a new 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 took off from Columbus,
Aircraft
ERJ-140 Gets FAA Nod
Embraer’s new 44-seat ERJ-140 regional jet gained FAA certification on July 26, two weeks after launch customer American Eagle took the keys to the first p
Regionals Update: Midway re-launch delayed until January
Morrisville, N.C.-based Midway Airlines’ plans to emerge from oblivion as a US Airways Express carrier appear to be derailed once again until at least Janu
Engines
Regionals Update: AVIC I selects GE to power ARJ21 regional jet
China’s AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co.
Air Wisconsin, Horizon Reach Tentative Pilot Pacts
A pair of long-awaited pilot contracts finally reached the ratification stage when Appleton, Wis.-based United Express affiliate Air Wisconsin and Alaska A
Regionals Update: Government waivers a boon to Aussie regionals
The government of the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales has voted to grant further concessions to its regional airlines by extending its sin
A318 Starts Taking Shape in Hamburg
Airbus Industrie began final assembly of the first Airbus A318 at its plant in Hamburg, Germany, when on August 9 it joined the 107-seat jet’s forward and
Tennenbaum Withdraws Offer for Great Lakes
Sagging operational and financial fortunes at Cheyenne, Wyo.-based Great Lakes Aviation have prompted Tennenbaum & Co.
Aircraft
Big Jet Rolls Into Big Apple
Brazil’s Embraer celebrated the first anniversary of its listing on the New York Stock Exchange by taking its ERJ-190 road show to the Big Apple’s Rockefel
Mesa faces new realities of evolving regional biz
Jonathan Ornstein has learned something over the years about mending fences–and breaking down barriers.
CRJ900 gains FAA nod
The FAA awarded Bombardier’s 86-seat CRJ900 regional jet its U.S.
