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 FAA proposed two civil penalties totaling $633,000 against Bridgeton, Mo.-based Trans States Airlines last month for alleged maintenance violations involving two Embraer ERJ145s. 
In the first case, the FAA alleges Trans States improperly installed replacement radio altimeter antenna cables on two airplanes and then operated the noncompliant airplanes on 268 revenue flights. Inspectors found the new cables lying unsecured to the airframe inside each aircraft’s large aft wing-to-fuselage fairing rather than mounted to the walls. The violation would carry a fine of $322,000.
The FAA also alleges Trans States operated one of the same airplanes on 3,392 revenue flights after improperly installing electrical wiring in the fuel supply system. The FAA alleges mechanics spliced the wires too close to the fuel tank. That violation would carry a fine of $311,000.
The FAA discovered the alleged violations during inspections in 2009, after Trans States returned the leased aircraft to their owner.
Trans States had 30 days from receipt of the civil penalty letters to respond to the agency.

FAA Proposes To Fine Trans States

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