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.
U.S. airlines hired 10,389 pilots in 2005, analyst AIR, Inc. said, with 551 new hires added to payrolls during December. AIR, Inc. said the 2005 total matched its prediction that airlines would hire more than 10,000. Airlines have already indicated they will hire another 6,700 pilots in 2006, with about 2,500 of these hires by major carriers. FedEx said it will hire 300-350 this year, and Continental plans to hire about 500.
The Civil Aviation Authority of China awarded United's flight training division certification to begin training pilots for Chinese airlines. United Services Flight Training is the first foreign training provider to achieve CAAC certification, United said. The company has already signed one contract with a Chinese airline and said it is also completing a contract with a second carrier. United will train the pilots on Boeing 757 and Airbus A320 aircraft at the Denver Flight Training Center.
