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.
Continental flight attendants ratified a concession deal Sunday, which essentially completes the $500 million in total annual labor savings the airline was targeting. The International Association of Machinists is scheduled to release further details of the ratification vote today. The four-year agreement will cut flight attendant costs by about $72 million a year, adding to the $418 million a year in savings already achieved through previous union deals.
The National Transportation Safety Board last week called on FAA to prohibit airlines from using thrust reversers to calculate runway stopping distances, which NTSB said was a factor in the fatal Dec. 8 runway overrun accident in Chicago. "This recommendation needs the immediate attention of FAA since we will be experiencing winter weather conditions in many areas...for several more months," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker said.
The only sensible way to reform FAA's air traffic control financing is to introduce a user fee system, but most recreational pilots should not be affected, Air Transport Association head Jim May said last week.
