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
Mesaba May Soon Lose Avro RJ Flying
Northwest Airlines is considering exercising its right to terminate the Avro RJ85 agreement under which Mesaba leases and operates 36 of the four-engine je
PSA Takes First CRJs, Plans Service Entry Next Month
Wholly owned US Airways subsidiary PSA Airlines expects to begin its transition to an all-regional-jet fleet with the launch of service next month using ne
Accidents
Mx manual scrutinized in Colgan 1900D crash
An FAA review of maintenance procedures following the August 26 crash of a Colgan Air Beech 1900D near Hyannis, Mass., has found that Raytheon service manu
Aircraft
Emirates A380 to Land in New York October 1
Emirates Airline confirmed yesterday that it will start flying one of its first Airbus A380s nonstop between Dubai and New York JFK Airport on October 1.
Bombardier, AVIC close to deal
Bombardier Aerospace expects to conclude negotiations soon with Chinese state aerospace conglomerate AVIC I on the terms of an agreement under which the Ca
Aircraft
Bombardier’s C Series edges closer to goals
As it prepares for an anticipated program launch of its C Series airliners later this year, Bombardier continues to fine-tune the design to achieve further
Aircraft
Japan’s KC-767 tankers ready for final approach
Japan expects to receive its first pair of KC-767 tankers by the end of this year’s first quarter as the controversial and much-maligned program’s developm
Aircraft
Air India extends its reach with world’s longest-range jet
The meteoric development of India’s airline industry continues unabated as Air India extends its nonstop network to all corners of the globe with Boeing’s
Aircraft
737-900ERs make their mark on Asia Pacific
Indonesia’s Lion Air and India’s SpiceJet have started operating some of the first 737-900ERs to roll off Boeing’s Renton, Washington assembly line.
U.S. airline helps China prep for Olympics
A concerted effort to develop a modern regional air transportation industry in China has finally begun, just in time for the Beijing Summer Olympic Games a
Aircraft
Optimistic Embraer tempers its view of China with caution
Doubts about the future of Embraer’s joint manufacturing venture with China’s AVIC II group were largely laid to rest by the time Harbin-Embraer Aircraft’s
Aircraft
ARJ21 Makes Public Debut
Chinese aerospace conglomerate AVIC I unveiled the ARJ21-700 regional jet during a December 21 rollout ceremony in Shanghai for a select group of official
Deal for eight ATR 72s heralds a lift for Africa
London-based investment conglomerate Lonrho unveiled plans last month to develop what it calls the first true pan-African airline with a new fleet of eight
Comair cutbacks head Delta plan to cut domestic capacity 5 percent
Comair last month said it would ground 14 of its 50-seat Bombardier CRJs by the end of the year in step with a plan by parent company Delta Air Lines to cu
Big Sky closure forces EAS shuffle
The fabric of the air transport security blanket known as the Essential Air Service (EAS) program has frayed once again with the January 7 contraction of B
Mesa To Close Air Midwest
Mesa Air Group plans to shed its Air Midwest subsidiary by the end of this year’s third quarter, company CEO Jonathan Ornstein said last month during the c
Pinnacle Sues ALPA over ‘Bad Faith’
The relationship between Pinnacle Airlines and its pilot group turned from frosty to malevolent last month as the Memphis-based regional filed a lawsuit in
Skyway To Shut Down
Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines announced last month that it will transfer all the routes now flown by its Skyway Airlines regional subsidiary to independ
Air New Zealand Link Hijacking Thwarted
A Jetstream 32 operated as Air New Zealand Link by Auckland-based Air National made an emergency landing today after a female passenger attacked the pilots
CitiExpress Pilots Mull Strike Options
The pilots of British Airways’ wholly owned regional subsidiary CitiExpress last month began consultations with union leaders over industrial action after
ERA Carriers Show Strong Growth Last Year
The carriers that belong to the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) reported passenger growth of 9.1 percent for last year–well ahead of the 3.4-per
Mesaba Slashes Management Force
Mesaba Aviation last month announced the elimination of 33 management positions as a result of expected declining flight activity.
Let Investors Demand Justice
A pair of investors in LZ Aeronautical Industries, the division of Moravan Aeroplanes now in control of Let L-410 turboprop production in Kunovice, Czech R
US Airways Poised for Big RJ Order
Almost immediately after US Airways’ emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late March, company CEO David Siegel told reporters that the company would pla
Aircraft
AvCraft’s 328 buy closes under cloud of skepticism, uncertainty
When reports began circulating last month that Leesburg, Va.-based AvCraft Aviation had reached an agreement to buy Fairchild Dornier’s 328 production and
Mesa Air comes full circle with United Express flying
Mesa Air Group chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein once again embraced the old adage “never say never” when the unpredictable industry veteran recently revi
EAS, pilot program face rising tide of discontent
Judging by a recently published U.S.
Lufthansa To Take Majority Stake in Air Dolomiti
Air Dolomiti president and majority shareholder Alcide Leali last month announced his intention to exercise an option to sell 31.2 percent of the regional
Midwest Express Suspends 328JET, B1900 Payments
Milwaukee-based Midwest Express last month suspended lease and debt payments on 38 of its 58 airplanes, including several Fairchild Dornier 328JETs and Bee
Chautauqua Pilots Rally Against ‘Alter Ego’ Rival
Pilots of Indianapolis-based Chautauqua Airlines planned to walk an informational picket line on March 28 at Louisville International, Ky., and Indianapoli
