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.
Airbus last week launched the corporate jet version of its A318 aircraft, with Swiss charter operator Comlux signing up as the first customer. The conversion, to be known as the A318 Elite, will join the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) range. This family already includes a converted A319, called the ACJ, and the A320 Prestige. Airbus said it still expects most demand for the A319-sized business jets, but the A318 version will "offer an even more affordable alternative for customers that are happy with a shorter cabin and less range."
Anchorage Airport, a crucial link in the booming Asia-North America cargo market, is seeing steady growth in cargo volume as new carriers are taking advantage of special liberalized cargo transfer rights at the airport.
British airport operator BAA yesterday unveiled plans for a new building to replace Terminal 2 in time for the 2012 Olympics, promising carriers a facility to match the new Terminal 5 that is being built primarily for British Airways. BAA stressed that its plan for the Terminal 2 replacement -- to be called Heathrow East -- is still in the early stages. It would involve demolishing Terminal 2 and the Queens Building, which represent the oldest part of the airport, and replacing them with a terminal equal to the "scale and ambiance" of Terminal 5.
