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&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;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&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;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.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

United Airlines has finalized a firm order for 25 Boeing 787-8 jetliners, the Chicago-based carrier announced today. Valued at $4.2 billion at list prices, the deal includes so-called purchase rights for another 50 Dreamliners.
United said it plans to take delivery of the 787s at the same time it begins to retire its Boeing 747s and 767s, between 2016 and 2019. 
United originally revealed its intention to place the order on December 8, when it announced plans to also take 25 Airbus A350XWBs and place purchase rights for 50 of each airplane type. The announcement followed what United called a rigorous, six-month request for proposal process, resulting in the decision to place two separate orders. According to United, “The breadth in size and capabilities of the different aircraft models ensure the company has the right aircraft for the right market throughout the fleet replacement cycle.”
The 50 new aircraft will reduce the average seat count by about 19 percent compared to the aircraft they will replace, and by about 10 percent across the entire international fleet. United estimates that the new airplanes will affect total fuel-burn savings by about 33 percent and maintenance cost savings by about 40 percent per available seat mile. Total cash outflow for both orders combined will total $60 million over the next three years, according to United, and deferral rights secured by the airline give it further financial flexibility.
With the completion of the United deal, Boeing has now collected firm orders for 876 Dreamliners from 57 customers.

UAL finalizes Boeing 787 order

United Airlines has finalized a firm order for 25 Boeing 787-8 jetliners, the Chicago-based carrier announced today.

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