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
FutureFlight
Eviation Unveils Executive Version of Alice as First Flight Nears
The introduction of a corporate-configured Alice comes as Eviation prepares to fly the all-electric aircraft for the first time.
Aircraft
Eviation Unveils Bizav Version of All-electric Alice
Eviation today introduced a six-passenger executive-cabin version of its Alice all-electric aircraft.
Aircraft
Boeing 787 Delivery Halt Spoils American Airlines’ Summer Plans
As the FAA continues its analysis of Boeing’s 787 fixes to gaps between fuselage sections, American Airlines must delay international expansion.
FutureFlight
BAE Investment in Electrification Technology Targets Roles in New Aircraft
A “multimillion-dollar” investment will expand the capabilities of BAE System’s Endicott, New York facility to include electric subsytems for aircraft.
Aircraft
Airbus Fires Back at Qatar Airways on A350 Claims
Calling Akbar Al Baker's claims that it did not address surface degradation in the carrier’s A350s a mischaracterization, Airbus considers legal action.
Aircraft
EFW A320 Passenger-to-freighter Conversion Makes First Flight
Following an eight-month conversion process, the A320P2F took flight from Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park.
Airlines
A4E Calls Out EC for Lack of Single European Skies Progress
Airlines for Europe managing director Thomas Reynaert calls on European transport ministers to push for needed compromises to advance SES adoption.
Airlines
IATA Rails against New Omicron-driven Travel Rules
International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh says data does not support the rationale for “kneejerk” Covid travel restrictions.
Aircraft
Boeing Lands 30-aircraft Max Order from 777 Partners
A $3.7 billion deal for thirty 737 Max jets brings the total number of the narrowbodies ordered by 777 Partners to 68.
Aircraft
Airbus Completes Structural Assembly of First A321XLR
The first Airbus A321XLR has undergone final structural assembly ahead of final testing and interior finishing.
Engines
Pratt & Whitney Launches Improved GTF for A320neo
The newly announced GTF Advantage will cut fuel burn by another 1 percent over the current version of the engine used in the Airbus A320neo.
Aircraft
China Signals Imminent Return to Service of 737 Max
The Civil Aviation Administration of China has issued an AD for 737 Max operators that could return the model to Chinese skies early next year.
Aircraft
Italy’s ITA Converts 28-aircraft Airbus MOU to Firm Order
Launching service on October 15 with former Alitalia airplanes, ITA plans to take the first of the new Airbus jets by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
Aircraft
Embraer To Team with Pratt & Whitney on Unblended SAF Trials
Pratt & Whitney and Embraer have signed an MOU calling for the use of 100 percent SAF in a E195-E2.
Environment
Airbus Reports Promising Results from 100 percent SAF Tests
A team of researchers expect to publish results of the ECLIF3 emissions studies toward the end of next year or in 2023.
Airlines
UK Boosts Regional Aviation as EU States Eye Short-Haul Limits
The European Regions Airline Association has criticized proposals to ban short-haul flight by some EU countries as the UK funds regional service.
FutureFlight
Fraundorfer Presents Its Tensor 600X Gyroplane
The German company expects to adopt its two-seat Tensor 600X to hydrogen or electric power.
Aircraft
Airbus Inks Second Deal for New A350F Freighter
CMA CGM Group signs a memorandum of understand covering four A350Fs.
Aircraft
Anticipation Builds as Boeing Brings 777X to Dubai
The Boeing 777X is making its first international appearance at the Dubai Airshow.
Aircraft
Qatar Airways Reintroduces A380s as 19 A350s Sit Grounded
The Qatari national carrier plans to return five Airbus A380s to service to compensate for capacity lost to the grounding of 19 A350s.
Accidents
Crews Recover Ditched Transair Boeing 737 Off Hawaii
The NTSB prepares to examine the flight recorders and wreckage of the Transair Boeing 737 that crashed off of Hawaii on July 2.
Aircraft
French Partners Fly A319neo Using 100 Percent SAF
Airbus, Dassault, Onera, the French Ministry of Transport, and Safran launched the first in-flight study of a single-aisle aircraft using unblended SAF.
Engines
GE, Pratt Win NASA R&D Contracts for Compact Engine Core
NASA has awarded GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney $18.8 million worth of contracts to help advance development of a smaller, more efficient engine core.
FutureFlight
European Airport Companies Launch UAM Infrastructure Project
Called Urban Blue, a new company engaged in a project to develop vertiports in cities such as Rome, Venice, and Nice expects operations to start in 2024.
Aircraft
FlightSafety, Pratt & Whitney Revel in Breeze’s A220 Unveiling
As Breeze Airways unveiled its first A220 at Airbus’s Alabama assembly plant, FlightSafety and Pratt & Whitney celebrated their own related contracts.
Aircraft
Industry CTOs Issue Sustainability ‘Call to Action’
Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran issue a statement to policymakers on environmental priorities.
Aircraft
Rolls-Royce Flies Trent 1000 on 100 percent SAF
In collaboration with Boeing and World Energy, Rolls-Royce flew a Trent 1000 on a 747 testbed with unblended sustainable aviation fuel.
Airlines
Alaska Airlines Teams with UP.Partners to Meet Net Zero Goal
A new company founded by Alaska Airlines, called Alaska Star Ventures, aims to advance emerging technologies geared toward neutralizing carbon emissions.
Airlines
A4A Applauds Lifting of Travel Ban to U.S. on November 8
Visitors from the EU, the UK, and several other countries may begin to enter the U.S. on November 18 if vaccinated against and tested for Covid-19.
Accidents
Former Boeing Pilot Indicted for Fraud in 737 Max Case
The U.S. Justice Department has charged former Boeing chief technical pilot Mark Forkner with six counts of fraud.
