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
Pratt ‘Flips’ Frontier Airlines with GTF Order
Frontier Airlines chooses Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs to power 134 Airbus jets scheduled for first delivery next year.
Aircraft
Partners Aim To Start CR929 Manufacturing This Year
Disagreements over sales responsibility arrangements for the Sino-Russian CR929 widebody appear settled as CRAIC readies to start building subassemblies.
Airlines
Europe CO2 Emissions from Aviation Drop 57% in 2020
The Covid crisis resulted in aviation emissions falling by more than half last year, according to Eurocontrol.
Aircraft
Boeing Commits To Certifying Jets for Pure SAF Power by 2030
Aviation’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2050 will require jets to fly on 100-percent SAF well before then, says Boeing.
Airlines
Lufthansa Cuts Costs Faster than Expected, Says CEO
Carsten Spohr expects no need for further state aid for the German group.
Aircraft
Airbus Taps Brakes on A320 Rate Increases
While A220 production rates will remain steady, Airbus has decided to slow planned output increases of the A320.
Aircraft
Boeing Inks Firm Order for Six 737-800 Converted Freighters
A deal covering a firm order for six 737-800BCFs and options on another six raises San Francisco-based BBAM’s commitment total to 15.
Airlines
IATA Urges Adoption of Vaccine Certificates for Travelers
A proposal by Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for a digital vaccine certificate to allow free movement has gained IATA's endorsement.
Accidents
Irkut MC-21 Suffers Runway Overrun
MC-21-300 prototype 73051 ended a one-engine-out breaking test stuck in heavy snow.
Aircraft
Transport Canada To Lift Boeing 737 Max Ban on January 20
Canada’s civil aviation authority has concluded its review of the Boeing 737 Max.
Airlines
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Launches, Plans Tel Aviv Flights
The joint venture between Wizz Air and Abu Dhabi’s ADQ Holdings flies to Athens on its inaugural service.
Aircraft
U.S. Adds Comac to DOD Sanctions List
The maker of the C919 and ARJ21 could face divestment by U.S. partners due to a new Department of Defense ban.
Airlines
Norwegian To Shut All Long-haul Operations
A new business plan at Norwegian Air calls for a return to an all-narrowbody fleet.
Aircraft
DHL Orders Eight Boeing 777 Freighters
First deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled for 2022.
Aircraft
Max Restart Cushions Boeing’s 2020 Delivery Shock
Boeing delivered 157 commercial jets last year, less than half of its 2019 total.
Airlines
Boeing Lands 747-8F Order from Atlas Air
Atlas Air places an order for the last four 747-8Fs Boeing plans to produce.
Airlines
IATA Sees ‘Bleak’ Prospects for Air Transport Amid Quarantines
International Air Transport Association director general Alexandre de Juniac calls on governments to give up aspirations for a ‘zero Covid world.’
Accidents
CVR, FDR Signals Detected from Doomed Sriwijaya Air 737
Authorities expect to find no survivors from the Boeing 737-500 that crashed into the Java Sea Saturday.
Accidents
Sriwijaya Air 737 Crashes into Java Sea with 62 Aboard
Jakarta ATC lost contact with a Boeing 737-500 carrying 62 people four minutes after takeoff on Saturday.
Aircraft
Airbus Meets Revised Delivery Goal for 2020
The European airframer delivered 556 commercial airplanes last year.
Aircraft
Boeing To Pay $2.5 billion in Penalties for 737 Max Misdeeds
U.S. Justice Department finds Boeing employees deceived the FAA about changes to the 737 Max’s flight control system.
Airlines
Qatar Airways Resumes Operations through Saudi Airspace
For the first time since the establishment of a GCC-led blockade of Qatar in 2017, Qatar Airways can fly direct to South Africa over Saudi Arabia.
Airlines
Air Traffic Recovery Reaches Full Stop in November
IATA reports November RPK declines nearly matched those of October.
Airlines
Israir A320 Pilots To Train at Etihad Facility in Abu Dhabi
Etihad Aviation Training and leisure carrier Israir have signed a contract to train Israeli pilots in the UAE.
Airlines
Ryanair To Slash Service amid Covid Lockdowns
Europe’s largest low-cost airline expects traffic to fall to 500,000 in February.
Aircraft
Amazon Makes First Direct Aircraft Purchases
Eleven more Boeing 767-300 freighters will join Amazon’s transportation network starting this year.
Accidents
Airline Accident Fatalities Up in 2020 Despite Pandemic
Dutch consultancy To70 warns of safety complacency as airlines increase operations in 2021.
Engines
Rolls Considers Need To ‘Re-phase’ UltraFan Development
UK engine maker Rolls-Royce will reassess the pace of engine development once it completes testing of its UltraFan.
Aircraft
Commercial OEMs Look to 2021 for Stability
Boeing and Airbus will see production rates settle at a more sustainable level.
Airlines
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi To Launch Service to Athens
The joint venture between Hungary’s Wizz Air and Abu Dhabi-based holding company ADQ has scheduled its first service to Athens for January 15.
