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
Airlines
IATA Urges Adoption of Digital Health Documentation
International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh warned of “chaos” at airports if governments don’t agree on digitalization measures.
Airlines
FAA Downgrades Mexico’s Safety Rating to Category 2
A Category 2 rating means Mexico’s airlines cannot add new service to the U.S. and U.S. airlines cannot place their codes on flights by Mexican carriers.
Aircraft
Boeing Inks New Max Deal with SMBC Aviation Capital
A new contract with SMBC marks the second sale of the 737 Max in two weeks.
Aircraft
Embraer Sees E-Jets Advancing Air Transport’s Covid Recovery
As the pandemic wanes, Embraer Commercial Aircraft CEO Arjan Meijer looks toward the start of a recovery in 2021 and beyond.
Airlines
Breeze Airways Set for Imminent Launch
David Neeleman’s latest airline startup begins service on May 27 to three midsize U.S. cities.
Aircraft
Luxaviation To Operate Commercial eVTOL Flights for Lilium
The European business aviation group will be responsible for all operational approvals, as well as managing flight crew, for the seven-seat eVTOL aircraft.
Airlines
IATA Applauds Opening Borders to Vaccinated Travelers
Germany becomes one of the latest countries to relax quarantine mandates, drawing praise from IATA.
Aircraft
EASA, UK CAA Agree on Certification Procedures
The Technical Implementation Procedures upon which the UK CAA and EASA agreed provide a basis for collaboration.
FBOs
DC Aviation Joins EBAA Networking Program
As the latest Ambassador peer-networking member, DC Aviation joins a group of 15 companies committed to positive change in the business aviation industry.
Aircraft
Boeing Max Operators Start Work on Electrical Fixes
The FAA approved a pair of Service Bulletins detailing repair procedures for the Boeing 737 Max’s electrical bonding panels.
Aircraft
Alaska Airlines to Add E-Jets, Maxes for Post-Covid Expansion
Seventeen E175s will enter service with partners Horizon Air and SkyWest starting in 2022 and 13 more 737 Max 9s will enter the mainline in 2023 and 2024.
Accidents
Airbus To Appeal New Charges Stemming from 2009 A330 Crash
The Paris Court of Appeals on Wednesday referred the case stemming from the 2009 Air France crash of an Airbus A330 to the French criminal court.
Aircraft
Airbus Resumes Work on New A320 Line in Toulouse
A modernized assembly line will allow for more capacity flexibility for the Airbus A320 and A321.
Aircraft
Max Delivery Halt Tempers Boeing’s April Total
Along with delivering 17 airplanes during April, Boeing saw its third straight month of positive net order totals.
Aircraft
ST Engineering, Temasek To Form Freighter Leasing JV
The 50-50 joint venture between ST Engineering and Tamasek will focus on narrowbody P2F conversions.
Aircraft
Wright Electric Advances Plans For Electric Airliner
The electric propulsion specialist has demonstrated an inverter that it says will support a 2 MW motor with hybrid-electric, electric or hydrogen power.
Aircraft
Boeing To Open More 737-800BCF Conversion Lines
A contract with Costa Rica’s COOPESA calls for Boeing to open two more conversion lines for the BCF next year.
Airlines
IATA’s Walsh Calls for End to ‘Price Gouging’ on Covid Testing
An IATA study shows that cost of an air ticket could almost double due to Covid testing requirements.
Aircraft
Lufthansa Resolves To Buy 10 More Airbus, Boeing Widebodies
Five Airbus A350-900s and five Boeing 787-9s will effectively replace Lufthansa's A340 quadjets.
Aircraft
Boeing Awaits FAA Approval of Max Electrical Fixes
More than 100 Boeing 737 Maxes remain grounded due to electrical problems discovered in early April.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
Lufthansa Technik and Airbus Team Up on A330 Cargo Mod
An agreement to develop an STC for A330 passenger-to-cargo conversions calls for Lufthansa Technik to supply mod kits and Airbus to provide technical data.
Airports
Industry Groups Launch Training Course on Runway Ops
The course focuses on ICAO's new methodology for assessing and reporting runway surface conditions.
Airlines
IATA Welcomes Plan to Open EU Borders to U.S. Travelers
The plan draws applause from IATA, but the group continues to caution against excluding unvaccinated travelers from crossing borders.
Aircraft
IAG Sets Goal To Power 10 percent of Flights with SAF by 2030
British Airways’ parent company commits to buying 1 million tonnes of SAF each year.
Aircraft
Airbus To Reorganize Aerostructures Activities
An exercise that will see the company's aerostructures work reorganized in France and Germany remains subject to union negotiations.
Airlines
IATA’s Walsh Calls Out Airports, ANSPs for Price Gouging
Regulators must intervene on efforts by monopoly suppliers such as airports to raise prices during the pandemic, said IATA director general Willie Walsh.
Airlines
Eurocontrol Outlines Means To Cut CO2 by 25 percent by 2030
A new paper published by Eurocontrol asserts that through collaborative efforts, aviation can cut emissions by a quarter with existing technology.
Aircraft
UK CAA Issues Foreign Carrier Permit to JetBlue
Planning to start transatlantic service this year, JetBlue becomes the first carrier to win a UK foreign operators’ certificate since Brexit.
Aircraft
Boeing Sees Continuing Strong Supply of Aircraft Financing
Funding for aircraft acquisitions will continue unabated as the pandemic eases, according to Boeing’s latest finance forecast.
