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 U.K. is considering joining an effort by six other Western European nations to unite their national airspace in a single block. At this stage the U.K. has only been invited to participate as an observer, but a deeper involvement is possible, U.K. Director General of Civil Aviation David McMillan said at the Maastricht ATC conference this week. McMillan told The DAILY there is a "clear synergy" between the U.K.'s complex southeastern airspace and that of Western Europe.
A SITA/Sofreavia team has won contracts to provide a vital gateway component for controller-pilot data link (CPDLC) systems that are being set up by Eurocontrol and Germany's DFS. The two companies will provide a data-link front end processor (DL-FEP) for Eurocontrol to install at its Maastricht Upper Area Control Center, and for DFS at its Karlsruhe en route center. DL-FEP systems allow controllers to exchange data-link messages with pilots on aircraft equipped for CPDLC.
Boeing yesterday added five unidentified 787 orders to its backlog; so far this year, Boeing has 18 aircraft orders, and all of them are for buyers who wish to remain anonymous. Through Feb. 14, Boeing listed nine orders for 787s, five for 777s, three for 767s and one for a 737. The total does not include an order for 27 767 freighters that was finalized yesterday. -AS
