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 yesterday released a Fiscal Year 2008 budget that once again proposes a significant cut for airports funding and also outlines the agency's long-awaited reauthorization proposal. The full details of FAA's new funding plan will be revealed in its reauthorization proposal that is expected to be released as early as next week, but there was enough in the budget documents to give a general picture. The system will be funded through a combination of fuel taxes paid by general aviation operators and user fees collected from airlines.
UPS yesterday announced an order for 27 Boeing 767-300ER freighters, although it stressed that this order is not connected to its review of its Airbus A380 freighters. The 767s will be delivered between 2009 and 2012. The carrier notes these aircraft can be used on European and Latin American routes, as well as routes within Asia and Europe. The A380s UPS has on order would be flown on specific long-haul routes currently served by 747 and MD-11 freighters. The A380 order is under review after Airbus' well-documented timetable problems with the aircraft.
British Airways acknowledged it achieved "mixed results" in the December quarter, with a dip in profits caused partly by a series of operational headaches. Pre-tax profit dropped to GBP113 million (US$22 million), down GBP53 million (US$104 million) from the comparable 2005 period. Operating profit declined by GBP47 million (US$92 million) to GBP129 million (US$254 million). Revenue inched upward -- gaining 0.5% to GBP 2.1 billion (US$4.1 billion) -- but this was overshadowed by a 3% increase in costs.
