Adrian is Auckland bureau chief for Aviation Week, based in New Zealand. He covers commercial aviation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Adrian was previously based in Aviation Week’s Washington office for nine years, writing for a range of the group’s publications and covering many aspects of the commercial aviation industry. He has won Australasian and international awards for his aviation writing.
Prior to joining Aviation Week in 2002, Adrian covered aviation industry and policy issues for two other publishing companies in Washington. He has also worked for newspapers in Texas and New Zealand, covering a wide range of topics. Adrian graduated from Auckland University with a degree in history and English in 1992.
While 2011 was a tumultuous year for Australian airlines, enough challenges remain to make 2012 another pivotal period. Australian carriers certainly had a bumpy ride over the past 12 months—even by the volatile standards of the global airline industry. For some the upheaval was intentional, but for others the year was marked by unwelcome setbacks that are affecting their 2012 plans.
Three teams of companies are bidding to provide an air-to-ground data communications network for the FAA that will be a vital element of the NextGen modernization effort, with a contract award expected in June. FAA’s Data Comm program will enable controllers to relay takeoff clearance and other instructions to pilots via text, rather than voice. This will make it quicker to send and revise clearances, while reducing errors. It also will enable the transmission of complex flight profiles required by NextGen and reduce radio frequency congestion.
