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

The Malaysian government’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, has picked Aer Lingus CEO Christoph Mueller to lead the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2014-08-12/state-fund-khazanah-take-over-malaysia-airlines">restructured and privatized Malaysia Airlines</a>. Mueller’s contract with Aer Lingus ends on May 1 next year, but Khazanah hopes to install the German national as CEO by as early as March 1. It expects to complete the privatization of the company by July 1.

 


Named Aer Lingus CEO in 2009, Mueller orchestrated that airline’s recovery from heavy losses to profits over the course of one year, even while the Irish market in general languished and European market conditions remained “tepid.” Meanwhile, Aer Lingus led Dublin’s development into one of Europe’s leading hubs for North Atlantic long-haul traffic.

 


“It is imperative that we have the best available talent with the expertise and experience to help drive the progress of the restructuring effort further forward, lead the airline to profitability and groom a Malaysian successor to assume the leadership of the airline in the future,” said Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. “The government is committed to seeing through the complete overhaul of MAS to its successful conclusion.”

 


A chronically loss-making enterprise, Malaysia Airlines saw it finances turn completely unsustainable this year with the loss of Flight MH370 on March 8 and the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2014-09-09/dutch-investigation-says-high-energy-objects-hit-mh17">presumed missile strike of Flight MH17</a> on July 17. The incidents claimed the lives of 524 passengers and crewmembers and led to decision to furlough 30 percent of the airline’s workforce and remove several routes from its long-haul network in favor of Asian regional services.

 


Plans now call for the delisting of the company from the Malaysian stock market on December 15 as one of the conditions for its total restructuring and Khazahah’s capital injection of RM6 billion ($1.72 billion). The delisting triggers the disbursement of the first tranche of money—RM2 billion ($575 million)—for the repayment to minority shareholders and for working capital and restructuring expenditures.

 


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Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

Khazanah Picks CEO for Restructured Malaysia Airlines

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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.

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News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Expansion of fleet will enhance service during holidays

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News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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