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.
FAA’s ATC modernization program has been taken off the government-wide high-risk list, thanks to progress made in keeping crucial programs on schedule. The Government Accountability Office’s high-risk list — which is updated every two years — was published yesterday. The ATC modernization program has been on the list since 1995, and was the only item GAO removed this year. FAA no longer features at all among the 30 items on the list, since the agency’s financial management was taken off in 2005.
Nav Canada estimates airlines could save 18 million liters (4.8 million gallons) of fuel a year through the use of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) over the Hudson Bay, if all aircraft were equipped. The first ADS-B flight in this region — involving an Air New Zealand aircraft — occurred Jan. 15. Hudson Bay is an important crossroads for many intercontinental routes, but lacks radar coverage. ADS-B efficiency gains come from reduced separation and more efficient routings.
American reported a $340-million net loss for the fourth quarter, and the carrier said it will further cut its capacity for this year, thanks partly to Boeing delivery delays. Despite recent oil price drops, American’s fuel costs were still higher year-on-year. This offset significant unit revenue gains. Unfavorable fuel hedge positions mean American is not seeing the full benefit of lower prices; however, CEO Gerard Arpey said he is “guardedly optimistic we can regain momentum in 2009.”
