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.
Aviation Capital Group is “very keen” to order another 10-15 Boeing 787s, according to CEO Stephen Hannahs. The lessor has already ordered five 787s, and Hannahs says it was a mistake not to order more at the time. He also plans to order Airbus A350s. ACG has 157 Boeing and Airbus aircraft in its backlog.
Boeing yesterday added another 50 aircraft orders to its books, thanks to major deals with Malaysia Airlines and Aviation Capital Group (ACG). Malaysia Airlines ordered 35 737-800s in a deal worth $2.6 billion at list prices, and secured purchase rights for another 20. The carrier wants to use them to replace its fleet of 37 737-400s. Deliveries are slated to begin in the second half of 2010.
Boeing’s order backlog is not yet being hurt by the dire condition of many of its airline customers, according to Boeing Commercial Airplanes head Scott Carson. While the company has had “a handful” of customers defer orders for a year or two, Boeing has yet to see any cancellations, Carson said. And the large backlog Boeing is carrying means there are plenty of customers eager to move up the list and take any production slots freed up by order delays, he said.
