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.

A Defining Moment For Blue Origin 06/05/2026

A Defining Moment For Blue Origin As Blue Origin races to close the gap on SpaceX, a huge explosion on the launchpad has dealt the company a significant setback. Editors discuss how Blue will respond and implications for the broader launch market. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41546290

SpaceX—To The Nasdaq And Beyond 06/02/2026

SpaceX—To The Nasdaq And Beyond Editors discuss SpaceX's pitch for what will be the biggest IPO ever and what it could mean for the company. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41468335

Another Delay For 777X—How Bad This Time? 05/29/2026

Another Delay For 777X—How Bad This Time? Bank of America analyst Ron Epstein joins Aviation Week editors to discuss the 777X program’s long-term outlook after news that it will likely not be certified until 2027, and how Airbus will respond. Thank you to our sponsor, Siemens. When aerospace leaders need trusted engineering and design solutions, they turn to Siemens comprehensive solutions. From design to delivery, our solutions support you throughout the entire product lifecycle. Learn more at /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41463620

Orient Express—Traversing Europe’s Defense Landscape 05/26/2026

Orient Express—Traversing Europe’s Defense Landscape From the cancellation of RIAT to Turkey's newly announced ICBM, Aviation Week's Robert Wall and Tony Osborne navigate the evolving European defense scene. Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support the Defense sector, providing reliable high performance, innovative military engines, systems and services. Learn more at /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41423050

Does Boeing Need China Anymore? 05/22/2026

Does Boeing Need China Anymore? Editors are joined by guest columnist Scott Mikus, director of Melius Research covering aerospace, to discuss Boeing's strategic position in China following a 200-aircraft order from Beijing that disappointed Wall Street. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41392500

Are X-Planes Worth The Xtra Effort? 05/19/2026

Are X-Planes Worth The Xtra Effort? Aviation Week editors Guy Norris, Robert Wall and Graham Warwick discuss the state of X-planes, how they have historically performed and what challenge the next X-plane program should take on. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41346905

Twenty Years Ago He Was Bigger Than Elon Musk—Has Aerospace Learned From His Failure? 05/15/2026

Twenty Years Ago He Was Bigger Than Elon Musk—Has Aerospace Learned From His Failure? Vern Raburn’s attempt to mass-produce low-cost airplanes was a flop. Was Eclipse the forerunner to today’s air mobility ventures? Guest columnist Richard Aboulafia and retired editor Fred George join Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo and Graham Warwick to explore Raburn's legacy after his passing in late April. --- At Space Tech Expo USA, the Space Tech Challenge Awards, Roundtables, and STAR Pavilion connect execution-ready innovations with government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators actively seeking them /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41306150

Space Planes, Space Control and Space Domain Awareness 05/12/2026

Space Planes, Space Control and Space Domain Awareness Aviation Week editors discuss how space control is front and center for the U.S. Space Force, allied services and adversaries. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41218710

How Joby And Unither Are Pushing AAM Toward Real Operations 05/08/2026

How Joby And Unither Are Pushing AAM Toward Real Operations Aviation Week's Graham Warwick and Ben Goldstein examine Joby Aviation’s piloted New York City demonstrations and Unither Bioelectronics’ hydrogen-electric Robinson R44 flights in Quebec as advanced air mobility moves closer to real-world deployment. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41214325

Missiles, Marines, Missile Defense And More 05/05/2026

Missiles, Marines, Missile Defense And More Aviation Week editors discuss just how much missiles have become central to the Pentagon’s modernization strategy, the status of Golden Dome’s Space-Based Interceptor effort, and what we observed at the Modern Day Marine expo in Washington. --- Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support the Defense sector, providing reliable high performance, innovative military engines, systems and services. Learn more at /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41120270

How's Business At Airbus And Boeing? 05/01/2026

How's Business At Airbus And Boeing? Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Michael Bruno, Jens Flottau and Guy Norris discuss recent earnings updates from Airbus and Boeing that saw the duopoly shrug off the Gulf War but note persisting supply chain issues. A freighter battle between the two is also heating up. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41114915

Dissecting Developments On MV-75, F/A-XX, B-21 And More 04/28/2026

Dissecting Developments On MV-75, F/A-XX, B-21 And More Editors reflect on a busy period for defense, sharing insights on Quad-A, Sea-Air-Space, Aviation Week's MALMS, the latest Pentagon budget figures, and everything else you need to know on air and missile modernization. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41044730

Aero Friedrichshafen Steps Up 04/24/2026

Aero Friedrichshafen Steps Up Editors discuss developments in European business aviation after this week's Aero Friedrichshafen and the cancellation of the EBACE show. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/41001705

At Space Symposium, NASA is Cool Again 04/21/2026

At Space Symposium, NASA is Cool Again Listen in as our editors discuss the buzz over Artemis II, the push for multiyear milspace predicaments and the return of nuclear reactors. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40944170

Quarterly Qhaos—How Hard Will Geopolitics Hit Commercial Aviation? 04/17/2026

Quarterly Qhaos—How Hard Will Geopolitics Hit Commercial Aviation? U.S. first-quarter earnings are typically a non-event, but not this year. Aviation Week editors look ahead to updates from airlines and OEMs and share what they will be watching for. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40908385

Reflections On The Dude 44 Rescue And Other Iran War Lessons 04/14/2026

Reflections On The Dude 44 Rescue And Other Iran War Lessons Aviation Week editors discuss the recent rescue operation of the Dude 44 F-15E crew, which marks a significant advancement in military innovation. --- From today’s challenges to tomorrow’s demands, Parker is helping shape the future of aerospace and defense. Email: . /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40856460

Understanding The Revolution In Inflight Connectivity 04/10/2026

Understanding The Revolution In Inflight Connectivity Aviation Week editors covering commercial aviation and space convene to discuss how and why airlines are increasingly offering fast inflight Wi-Fi for free. Listen in to here Jens Flottau, Christine Boynton, Thierry Dubois and Robert Wall break it down. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40799050

Unpacking Trump’s Gargantuan Military Air And Space Budget 04/07/2026

Unpacking Trump’s Gargantuan Military Air And Space Budget Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Brian Everstine, Vivienne Machi and Steve Trimble delve into the winners and losers in the White House’s $1.5 trillion defense spending plan. --- Today’s aerospace and defense programs demand speed, precision, and resilience. A long-time trusted partner in the industry, Siemens empowers organizations to design, build, and sustain next-generation systems faster. Learn more at today. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40755730

Can NASA’s X-59 And Boom’s Overture Really Deliver A New Era Of Supersonic Travel? 04/02/2026

Can NASA’s X-59 And Boom’s Overture Really Deliver A New Era Of Supersonic Travel? As NASA begins X-59 envelope expansion and Boom develops its first high speed engine, civil supersonic activity is at its highest since the retirement of Concorde in 2003. Aviation Week editors discuss the latest developments and the challenges that lie ahead. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40712410

NASA’s New Moonshot 03/31/2026

NASA’s New Moonshot The new administrator shakes up the space agency with plans for lunar base and sunsetting SLS. Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo and Irene Klotz speak with Redwire Space President Michael Gold about the developments. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40641510

A Tale Of Two FALS—Airbus In Mobile And Boeing In Charleston 03/27/2026

A Tale Of Two FALS—Airbus In Mobile And Boeing In Charleston Editors are joined by AeroDynamic Advisory Managing Director Richard Aboulafia to discuss the progress of airliner production by Airbus in Alabama and Boeing in South Carolina. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40640880

What’s Under The Ever-More Expensive Golden Dome—From Patriots To Hobbits 03/24/2026

What’s Under The Ever-More Expensive Golden Dome—From Patriots To Hobbits Aviation Week editors discuss the increase in projected Golden Dome costs and what the fiscal 2027 Pentagon budget request may tell us about the umbrella program. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40597665

The Impact Of The Iran War On Airlines 03/20/2026

The Impact Of The Iran War On Airlines Conflict and fuel prices have battered air transport, but U.S. carriers are surprisingly confident. Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Christine Boynton, Jens Flottau and Lori Ranson discuss how the Iran war is affecting airlines in different regions and look ahead to potential ripple effects. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40556695

High-Energy Laser Weapons Reach New Heights 03/17/2026

High-Energy Laser Weapons Reach New Heights Aviation Week editors Robert Wall and Steve Trimble discuss the evolution of laser weapons that are now getting their first battlefield kills and are destined for new applications. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40436105

Heavy Lift And eVTOLs Put The 'Vertical' In Verticon 03/13/2026

Heavy Lift And eVTOLs Put The 'Vertical' In Verticon Aviation Week's Guy Norris and Tony Osborne are joined in Atlanta by vertical flight veteran Mike Hirschberg of H2 Advisors to discuss the highlights of this year's Verticon rotorcraft expo. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40419675

Rolls-Royce Wants A Piece Of The Next-Gen Narrowbody Market 03/10/2026

Rolls-Royce Wants A Piece Of The Next-Gen Narrowbody Market Some 14 years after exiting the single-aisle engine market, Rolls-Royce is trying to get back into it, unveiling a new engine concept called the UltraFan 30—but can it break the CFM-Pratt duopoly? Editors are joined by guest columnist Scott Mikus, director of Melius Research covering aerospace, to discuss the dynamics in next-generation single-aisle propulsion. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40379800

How Iran War Tests Air Power, Gulf Hubs 03/06/2026

How Iran War Tests Air Power, Gulf Hubs Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Jens Flottau and Steve Trimble discuss the military operation in Iran, how it has disrupted commercial air travel and consider the ramifications for aviation. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40334735

High On CCAs, B-21, Space & More—The AFA Warfare Debrief 03/03/2026

High On CCAs, B-21, Space & More—The AFA Warfare Debrief Listen in as Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Brian Everstine, Vivienne Machi and Guy Norris reflect on program updates and other highlights from the AFA Warfare Symposium. Thank you to our sponsor L3Harris. L3Harris' Red Wolf and Green Wolf deliver an unfair fight by combining speed, extended range and lethality through kinetic and non-kinetic effects: /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40295225

Aviation And Trump's Tariffs, Round Two 02/27/2026

Aviation And Trump's Tariffs, Round Two Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Michael Bruno and Jens Flottau are joined by consultant Kevin Michaels to break down President Trump’s latest tariffs and where the pain will be felt in the aerospace supply chain. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40251460

Fuel Up For AFA Warfare Symposium 02/23/2026

Fuel Up For AFA Warfare Symposium Editors preview AFA Warfare Symposium, setting the scene for key topics that will be on the agenda in Colorado. They touch on new leadership and shifting priorities, modernization efforts, and key programs like on-orbit refueling and tanker development. /episode/index/show/aviationweek/id/40197630

Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

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