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

Canada’s Bombardier unveiled a cargo-passenger variant of its Q400 in Farnborough on Tuesday, adding one more choice to a growing list of configurations for the versatile turboprop. 
Available in various arrangements, the combi version offers up to 8,200 pounds of cargo capacity and as much as 1,150 cubic feet of volume. Using Class C cargo compartments, the so-called high-cargo version can hold 50 passengers at a 32-inch seat pitch. Bombardier claims it has entered “advanced” discussions with a number of potential Q400 combi customers.
Meanwhile, the Q400’s sales total increased to 499 on Tuesday with a firm order for a single airplane from Horizon Air of the U.S. Horizon and Bombardier also confirmed they have signed a five-year maintenance agreement, under which the manufacturer will perform heavy maintenance on Horizon Air’s Q400s at the manufacturer’s service center in Tucson, Arizona. 
Separately, Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Aviation Services has signed a letter of intent covering five Q400 airliners, supplementing an order for two of the high-speed turboprops announced in February and another in April. Falcon Air Services and Bombardier also signed a memorandum of understanding under which they agreed to collaborate in addressing the need “multiple, high-quality aircraft solutions” that meet international standards in Africa and the Middle East.
Finally, Bombardier revealed the identity of the customer for two more Q400s, the sale of which it announced on April 23, as Abu Dhabi Aviation. The largest helicopter operator in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Aviation now flies one Q400, a single Q300 and two Q200s supporting offshore oil, engineering and construction activities.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Bombardier Unveils Q400 Combi Variant, Increases Order Total To 499

The combi Q400 offers up to 8,200 pounds of cargo capacity and as much as 1,150 cubic feet of volume. The high-cargo version can also hold 50 passengers .

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News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

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