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.
Brazilian carrier TAM recorded a net loss of R$28.6 million (US$14.7 million) for the second quarter -- a substantial swing from last year's R$97.1 million profit - partly due to a steep 28.5% increase in operating costs for the growing airline.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) handed a win and a loss to FAA in two decisions affecting major contract disputes with the agency's controllers and systems specialists unions. FLRA recently dismissed FAA's unfair labor practice complaint against the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS) union, but another FLRA panel rejected a similar complaint filed against FAA by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).
The FAA has begun operational use of an advanced airport surface surveillance system at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport two years ahead of schedule, answering calls by lawmakers to speed up deployment to help cut runway incursions there. The system—Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X)—is expected to be commissioned at O’Hare at the end of this month. But ASDE-X has been certified, and controllers are using it during the 30-day operational suitability demonstration (OSD) period that precedes commissioning.
