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.
Messier-Dowty this week began cutting metal on the first part of the Boeing 787 landing gear. The first major structural landing gear part to be machined is the inner cylinder for the nose landing gear. Production of the first titanium forgings for the major structural components of the main gear, including the truck beam and inner cylinder, will begin in the next few weeks, Messier-Dowty said.
US Airways yesterday named General Electric as the engine supplier for its fleet of 20 Airbus A350s. The contract for the GEnx engine is worth more than $400 million, GE said. US Airways is scheduled to take delivery of the A350s beginning in 2011 (DAILY, Nov. 20). GE said it has now signed agreements to provide GEnx engines for 112 of the A350s that have been ordered so far. Airbus's integrated certification schedule includes GEnx flight testing in 2009, and aircraft/engine certification in 2011. -AS
Chinese leaders used their visit to France to sign two major agreements with European manufacturer Airbus, including a massive aircraft order and a cooperation deal that may bring an Airbus assembly line to China. Airbus agreed to general terms with the China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group (CASGC) for 150 A320 family aircraft, and Airbus said the $10 billion order is its largest ever in China. The aircraft will be delivered to Chinese carriers Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Sichuan, Shenzhen and Hainan.
