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 FAA reauthorization bill appears stalled in the Senate for at least the rest of this year, postponing showdowns with House lawmakers and the White House over policy issues that could lead to big changes for the aviation industry.
Congressional staffers are working on another extension for FAA's authorizing legislation, and this time they are considering adding as much as four to six months. The FAA reauthorization bill remains stalled in the Senate for the near future. Because the previous legislation expired Sept. 30, Congress approved an extension through Dec. 14. Now, staffers and lawmakers in both chambers are negotiating a new extension. Industry sources say several options are on the table, some extending up to six months.
Safety management systems (SMS) represent the best method to achieve further gains in international aviation safety, FAA Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell said yesterday. While accident rates are dropping both worldwide and in the U.S., improvement is still needed, Sturgell said during FAA's annual International Safety Forum in Chantilly, Va. "When it comes to risks, the low-hanging fruit is long gone...SMS uses hard data to point us in the direction we need to go," said Sturgell.
