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.
The House on Dec. 2 passed another 90-day extension of the FAA’s operating authority, effectively ending hopes of a full reauthorization bill being passed this year. The current extension expires Dec. 31, so the latest one is set to expire March 31. The measure was passed by voice vote.
The FAA has returned Mexico to a Category 1 safety rating, which will remove restrictions placed on Mexican carriers since the country’s rating was downgraded in July. The Category 1 rating was based on the results of an FAA review of Mexico’s civil aviation authorities last month. The U.S. agency determined that Mexican regulators now fully comply with ICAO standards.
The latest government report on the NextGen effort finds that the FAA is making progress in further defining its air traffic management modernization plans, although it also reiterates that important decisions are yet to be made in user equipage and other areas.
