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
Aircraft
Bombardier Lands New C Series Orders
The Bombardier C Series appears finally to have achieved some sales momentum recently, as the Canadian company announced two separate contracts for the new
Boeing Officially Opens Charleston Plant Days Ahead of Labor Board Hearing
Elected officials and representatives from community and business groups, suppliers and subcontractors joined more than 1,000 Boeing employees at the compa
Paris 2011: SSJ100 On Weight Program As Aeroflot Launches Scheduled Service
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 will eventually welcome a new, larger sibling, possibly one as large as 130 seats in capacity, but not until the original SSJ100-9
Aircraft
ATR Wins EASA Approval for 72-600
ATR has gained EASA certification for its new ATR 72-600 following nearly two years of flight testing, the Franco-Italian manufacturer announced this morni
Regionals take their ‘seat at the table’ in Nashville
For the first time in the 36-year history of the RAA
New Details Released On Crash of Air France 447
A statement released today by the French BEA (Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses) on the
Aircraft
Merpati MA60 Crashes, Killing 25
A Xi’an Aircraft MA60 operated by Indonesia’s Merpati Nusantara Airlines crashed on May 7 into Kaimana Bay, some 1,500 feet short of the Utarung Airport ru
Aircraft
More Republic E170s to fly for Delta
An amendment to Republic Airways’ capacity purchase agreement with Delta Air Lines will allow it to add six dual-class Embraer E170s to the Delta Connectio
BAE Systems To Sell Regional Fleet and Asset Management Business
BAE Systems announced today an agreement to sell its commercial aircraft lease portfolio and asset-management business to investment affiliates of New York
Boeing and ANA to Conduct 787 Service Readiness Validation in Japan
Boeing and All Nippon Airways announced today that they plan to conduct so-called service readiness operations with the second 787 prototype–ZA002–at sever
Aircraft
Last ERJ-145 Delivered to Tianjin
China’s Harbin Embraer Aircraft has delivered the last serial-production Embraer ERJ 145 ever built to Tianjin Airlines.
Aircraft
Air Canada Launches Porter Challenge
Air Canada launched the first direct competition against Bombardier Q400 operator Porter Airlines out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on May 1, when t
AIN Blog: Regionals Take Their ‘Seat of the Table’
For the first time in the history of the Regional Airline Association (RAA), a sitting Department of Transportation Secretary attended the group’s annual c
Aircraft
Pluna Extends CRJ Order Book
Uruguay’s Pluna Air Lines has placed a firm order on three more 90-seat Bombardier CRJ900s worth $129 million at list prices, the Canadian manufacturer ann
Aircraft
Korean Air Takes Its First Airbus A380
Korean Air celebrated the delivery of its first Engine Alliance GP7200-powered Airbus A380 at a ceremony at Airbus’s headquarters in Toulouse, France.
Closure Of Nuclear Plant Could Disrupt Mitsubishi MRJ
The May 14 closure of the Hamaoka nuclear power plant on the southeastern coast of Japan has raised concerns of power shortages at Mitsibushi Aircraft in N
Aircraft
Airbus, BEA Deny Reaching Conclusions about Air France Flight 447
Both Airbus and the French BEA (Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses) have denied reaching any conclusions about the
French Investigators Extract All AF447 Data
French accident investigators over the weekend extracted the data from the memory cards inside the flight recorders recovered from the ill-fated Air France
Regulations and Government
NLRB Fires Back at Critics of Boeing Complaint
National Labor Relations Board acting general counsel Lafe Solomon finally responded publicly last week to the uproar from Republican lawmakers and conser
Embraer Carefully Considers its Single-Aisle Options
Embraer will wait until as late as year-end for Boeing to decide on a plan for a 737 replacement before the Brazilian company commits to a successor for i
LaHood To Headline RAA Convention
The Regional Airline Association has scheduled Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the exhibit hall Tuesday
IATA: Earthquake, Political Unrest Disrupt Air Transport Recovery
The earthquake in Japan and political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa interrupted the global air transport industry’s growth trend during March,
Aircraft
Republic Airways Signals Interest in Airbus A320neos
Indianapolis-based Republic Airways signaled an interest in acquiring Airbus A320neos last week, when the airline’s vice president and corporate controller
E190 Delays Attributed to Japan’s IHI
A supply-chain interruption involving Japanese engine parts supplier IHI will force Embraer to delay delivery of at least six E190s to Indianapolis-based R
Aircraft
Boeing Halts Movement of 747-8 Line
Boeing stopped moving airplanes forward on its 747-8 production line in Everett, Wash., today to help mechanics complete work that has mounted as the compa
First Korean Air A380 Takes Flight
The first Korean Air A380 took to the skies today for the start of a final phase of flight and ground tests at Airbus facilities in Hamburg, Germany, where
