HeliMx magazine announces the appointment of R. Fred Polak as editor

Milton, WI 8/3/2010 - HeliMx magazine announces the appointment of R. Fred Polak as editor. Polak will report to HeliMx editorial director Joe Escobar.

Polak started his career in aviation as an avionics specialist and aircrew in the United States Navy flying aircraft carrier-based Grumman S2E antisubmarine warfare aircraft.

After serving 10 years in the Navy, Polak was hired by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut as an Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) ground school instructor on the S-61 helicopter. He taught all models including the VH-3D model for the Presidential Flight Detachment, HMX-1.

Four years later, Polak was offered the opportunity to join Phoenix, AZ-based Sperry Flight Systems (later Honeywell Aerospace). His responsibilities included creating a technical training department that conducted both pilot and maintenance training classes worldwide specifically for business, regional and helicopter aircraft operators.

During Polak's 27 years with Honeywell, he wrote many of the technical manuals still in use today and also authored the book "Avionics Past & Present." Polak taught avionics classes at Honeywell on the following helicopters: 

• Aerospatiale AS-350 
• Aerospatiale AS-355 
• Agusta 109 
• Agusta 139 
• Bell 212 
• Bell 222 
• Bell 412 
• Eurocopter EC-135 
• Sikorsky S-61 
• Sikorsky S-76 

Since taking early retirement from Honeywell, Polak has continued to teach classes and write technical manuals in support of fixed wing and rotary wing customers worldwide.  Polak and his wife Elizabeth live in Glendale, Arizona. "We are extremely proud to have Fred join the HeliMx team," shares Escobar. "His technical experience, professional work ethic and customer focus are a great asset to our team."

You can e-mail Fred at fpolak@helimx.com