Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

Aviation Week editors and analysts discuss industry developments across commercial aviation, defense and space every week on the Check 6 Podcast.

From TacAir To Transports—Defense At The Singapore Airshow 02/06/2026

From TacAir To Transports—Defense At The Singapore Airshow Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Chen Chuanren and Brian Everstine report from the Singapore Airshow, sharing what they've been hearing about different military programs in the evolving geopolitical environment. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40005975

Commercial Aviation Insights From The Singapore Airshow 02/05/2026

Commercial Aviation Insights From The Singapore Airshow Listen in as Aviation Week's Guy Norris, Jens Flottau and Adrian Schofield sit down at the end of Day Two of the 2026 Singapore Airshow to break down what has—and hasn't—happened in commercial aviation at the event. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40002635

Unpacking The Pentagon's New Strategy—Greenland, Golden Dome And Budget Implications 01/30/2026

Unpacking The Pentagon's New Strategy—Greenland, Golden Dome And Budget Implications Listen in as Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Brian Everstine and Steve Trimble break down the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy and what it means for the budget. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39927140

Shot Down—What the FCC's UAS Ban Means 01/27/2026

Shot Down—What the FCC's UAS Ban Means The Trump administration has started the clock on a near-total ban of foreign UAS and parts in the U.S. The surprise blanket ban has the potential to dramatically effect American customers and contractors alike—and not necessarily in a good way. Listen to Aviation Week's Michael Bruno and Bill Carey who are joined by The Drone Girl, Sally French, to explain what is happening and what it means. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39894240

What Did SciTech Reveal About The Future Of Aerospace? 01/23/2026

What Did SciTech Reveal About The Future Of Aerospace? Listen in as Aviation Week's Guy Norris and Graham Warwick report back from their annual pilgrimage to AIAA SciTech, sharing news of future aerospace technologies they learned about at the aerospace research forum. They also hear from Clay Mowry, the head of AIAA. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39848315

Innovate, Compete, Win: Aviation Week's Space Tech Challenge 2026 01/20/2026

Innovate, Compete, Win: Aviation Week's Space Tech Challenge 2026 Aviation Week's Robert Wall and Garrett Reim are joined by Russ Matijevich, space industry veteran and a judge in the Space Tech Challenge Awards. Nominations are now open for the awards—could your solution be a winner? Find out more and apply here: The Space Tech Challenge Awards connect execution-ready innovations with the government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators actively seeking them. From lunar operations to Mars missions, the space industry faces nearly 200 validated capability gaps. The Aviation Week Space Tech Challenge Awards recognize solutions already in development — prototypes tested and advancing toward deployment. Presented at Space Tech Expo USA, this program connects working technologies with government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators ready to integrate them. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39795745

Does Airbus Deserve a B+ or a C-? 01/16/2026

Does Airbus Deserve a B+ or a C-? Airframers' 2025 delivery totals are in. Aviation Week’s team grades Airbus, Boeing and the smaller OEMs on their production performance last year. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39748245

Trump Vs. Defense Industry 01/13/2026

Trump Vs. Defense Industry Analyst Byron Callan joins Aviation Week editors to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s attack on contractor profits and his plan to boost defense spending by 50%. Find out more about Aviation Week's Defense Conference /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39713640

Is The GCAP Fighter The F-35's International Successor? 01/09/2026

Is The GCAP Fighter The F-35's International Successor? Watch as Richard Aboulafia joins the podcast to discuss how 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for two next-generation fighter programs conceived in Europe: FCAS and GCAP. Subscribers can read Richard's column on the Global Combat Air Program Find out more about Aviation Week's Defense Conference /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39671030

Flubs & Forecasts 2025-26 Edition 12/19/2025

Flubs & Forecasts 2025-26 Edition In the annual Flubs & Forecasts edition of Check 6, editors reflect on what they got right and wrong in 2025 and make their predictions for 2026. Listen in as Aviation Week & Space Technology Editor-In-Chief Joe Anselmo hears from Christine Boynton, Michael Bruno, Brian Everstine, Guy Norris, Garrett Reim, Lee Ann Shay, Robert Wall and Graham Warwick. Check 6 will be back in 2026. Thank you to our sponsor GE Aerospace. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow, and the future /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39466930

Check 6 Revisits: RTX's Pratt & Whitney Marks 100 Years 12/16/2025

Check 6 Revisits: RTX's Pratt & Whitney Marks 100 Years In this special anniversary episode of Check 6 Revisits, Pratt & Whitney President Shane Eddy and Aviation Week editors Guy Norris and Christine Boynton delve into the engine-maker’s achievements over its first century. This episode explores how Pratt & Whitney’s propulsion innovations have made it a global powerhouse, navigating highs and lows throughout the decades—and all dating back to a revolutionary little engine developed in a former Connecticut tobacco warehouse space. . Check 6 Revisits delves into Aviation Week's more than 100-year archive. Subscribers can and read key Aviation Week articles relating to this podcast here: (Jan. 11, 1926) (Feb. 15, 1926) (Nov. 16, 1953) (Jan. 26, 1959) (March 13, 1950) (July 22, 2025) /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39423115

Debriefing Defense In 2025 12/12/2025

Debriefing Defense In 2025 The F-47, low-cost missiles, space superiority and more—listen in as Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Steve Trimble, Tony Osborne and Brian Everstine break down the key developments of 2025 in the defense world. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39380830

As Airbus Strains, Boeing Gains 12/05/2025

As Airbus Strains, Boeing Gains Airbus will again miss its delivery target due to supplier quality problems as Boeing’s turnaround takes another step forward. Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Jens Flottau, Sean Broderick and Michael Bruno break it all down. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39289375

Fighter Deals Afar Stir Dubai Airshow 11/20/2025

Fighter Deals Afar Stir Dubai Airshow Listen is as Aviation Week's Steve Trimble, Tony Osborne and Robert Wall discuss what the defense industry was talking about at Dubai Airshow: from Saudi F-35s to Fursan to the Red Arrows. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39106555

Big Widebodies Back On The Agenda At Dubai Airshow 11/19/2025

Big Widebodies Back On The Agenda At Dubai Airshow Boeing and Airbus are both now looking at the feasibility of upsizing their largest twin-aisles at the behest of Emirates, which led the way for orders at Dubai Airshow. Listen in as Christine Boynton, Jens Flottau, Guy Norris and Graham Dunn discuss that and other commercial highlights in this special episode recorded at the event. Thank you to our sponsor GE Aerospace. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow, and the future /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39091415

Will The Comac C929 Be The Next New Widebody? 11/13/2025

Will The Comac C929 Be The Next New Widebody? Aviation Week editors are joined by guest columnist Richard Aboulafia of Aerodynamic Advisory to explore why Airbus and Boeing are dragging their feet on the next twin-aisle, leaving the Comac C929 as the only passenger widebody program formally in development. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/39019765

The Outlook With PwC: Navigating The New Federal Contracting Landscape 11/10/2025

The Outlook With PwC: Navigating The New Federal Contracting Landscape From executive orders to oversight reforms, government contracting is shifting fast. In this sponsored podcast PwC experts join Aviation Week to break down the biggest regulatory changes, funding priorities and cost-control pressures shaping the aerospace and defense industry. Learn more: /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38975625

What's Going On At The Pentagon? 11/07/2025

What's Going On At The Pentagon? Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Brian Everstine, Vivienne Machi and Steve Trimble discuss the impact of policy changes at the Pentagon before they break down the latest developments with the B-21 and multiple CCA projects. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38948270

Will Commercial Aerospace Blow Its Big Opportunity? 10/30/2025

Will Commercial Aerospace Blow Its Big Opportunity? Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Michael Bruno and Jens Flottau are joined by contributing columnist Kevin Michaels to record a podcast discussing whether the aerospace industry is making the most of the commercial upcycle. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38841850

Air Power Updates From KF-21 To Gripen To ShieldAI's X-BAT 10/24/2025

Air Power Updates From KF-21 To Gripen To ShieldAI's X-BAT After a busy week of news, Aviation Week defense editors break down the latest developments in the fighter, trainer and uncrewed aircraft programs in an action-packed episode. Steve Trimble shares a special dispatch from South Korea on the KF-21 program's production progress and KAI's leadership challenges, while Tony Osborne discusses Ukraine's potential 150-aircraft Gripen deal and Germany's new Eurofighter Tranche 5 order. The team explores the UK's search for Hawk T2 replacements, with contenders including the M-346, T-7 and T-50. Plus, Shield AI's ambitious X-BAT uncrewed concept and the UK's Vanquish carrier-based drone project. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38767155

Inside Europe's Aftermarket—MRO Podcast Live From MRO Europe 10/17/2025

Inside Europe's Aftermarket—MRO Podcast Live From MRO Europe This week Check 6 is hosting an episode from Aviation Week's MRO Podcast—European fleet growth, supply chain bottlenecks, AI, Gen Z, supplier contracts and geopolitics were all up for discussion as Aviation Week's team convened to record a special episode of the MRO Podcast live at MRO Europe in London. Find out more about Aviation Week Intelligence Network's 2026 Fleet & MRO Forecast /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38617540

Why Do Satellites Still Cost So Much? 10/10/2025

Why Do Satellites Still Cost So Much? Today’s satellites are cheaper, but hardly cheap. Brad King, the CEO of a propulsion supplier Orbion Space Technology, joins us to explain why. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38536875

What Does Industry Really Think About A Next-Gen Aircraft? | Sponsored By McKinsey & Company 10/06/2025

What Does Industry Really Think About A Next-Gen Aircraft? | Sponsored By McKinsey & Company Rumors are flying about how aircraft OEMs are working on technology for the next generation of large commercial aircraft. But a recent survey of the commercial aviation industry by McKinsey and Aviation Week shows surprising results when it comes to what industry players really think is happening. And the truth has significant consequences for how the air transport industry will operate in coming years. Listen in to this podcast sponsored by McKinsey as McKinsey experts Frank Coleman III and John Moore talk with Aviation Week's Michael Bruno about the survey results and what companies need to do now for the next generation of aircraft. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38477965

Regional Airlines' Age Problem 10/02/2025

Regional Airlines' Age Problem Labor contracts prohibit many U.S. airlines from refreshing their regional jets with the latest technology. Does this open the door for a novel hybrid-electric venture—and perhaps even a turboprop comeback? /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38438075

Inside Ukraine And Its Battle Against Russia’s New Drone Challenge 09/24/2025

Inside Ukraine And Its Battle Against Russia’s New Drone Challenge Aviation Week's Steve Trimble travelled to Ukraine where he participated in a military drone event and gained insights into how Russia's UAV operations are evolving. Steve discusses his observations and other aspects of the conflict with Tony Osborne and Robert Wall, as they unpack what it means about the changing battlefield dynamics. Read Steve's dispatch from Ukraine /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38338755

What's Behind The Latest Boeing 777X Certification Delay? 09/19/2025

What's Behind The Latest Boeing 777X Certification Delay? After Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg warned that certification of the 777-9 will take longer still, editors break down how the certification process has changed and why it is taking so long. Thank you to our sponsor GE Aerospace. Learn how the company and its partners are defining flight for today and the future /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38276425

DSEI Dissected—Drones, Directed Energy And Defense Tech 09/12/2025

DSEI Dissected—Drones, Directed Energy And Defense Tech The DSEI arms expo provided the backdrop for companies to unveil new weapons and for government buyers to drive home a sense of urgency to develop systems at pace. Aviation Week editors discuss what they observed and . Aviation Week analyst Sonny Butterworth also joins to share his observations on the land domain. Thank you to our sponsor Siemens. Siemens Xcelerator provides the technology to accelerate transformation in aerospace and defense. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38191680

Check 6 Revisits: Atomic Ambitions—Destruction To Discovery 09/01/2025

Check 6 Revisits: Atomic Ambitions—Destruction To Discovery In the decades since two modified B-29s dropped atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, bringing World War II to a close, there have been many ideas about how the power of the atom might be harnessed for other uses, including space exploration and aircraft propulsion. On this episode, Aviation Week editors comb through our archives to discuss the legacy of the atomic bomb missions and the evolution of nuclear power in aerospace through to the present day—and beyond. “We hold in trust a power that is capable of unraveling the very fabric of our civilian…We have proved the destructive use, while the constructive applications are still in the realm of speculation.”- Check 6 Revisits delves into Aviation Week's more than 100-year archive. Subscribers can and read key Aviation Week articles related to this episode here: (Aug. 13, 1945) (Aug. 20, 1945) (September 1945) (Feb. 6, 1956) (Jan. 16, 1956) (Dec. 1, 1958) (Oct. 15, 2014) (Aug. 18, 2025) /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38043880

How Politics Are Upending Airliner Orders 08/29/2025

How Politics Are Upending Airliner Orders Is free trade over in commercial aviation, or it is all just smoke and mirrors? Aerodynamic Advisory's Richard Aboulafia joins Aviation Week’s Joe Anselmo, Jens Flottau and Dan Williams to discuss. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/38018810

Getting The Hook 08/22/2025

Getting The Hook Aviation Week's Brian Everstine, Robert Wall and Steve Trimble discuss U.S. naval aviation ahead of the annual Tailhook gathering and the surprise announcement that U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Allvin will be retiring. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/37919450

Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

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