Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

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.

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 siemens.com today.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/l3harris-pack-launched-effects

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.

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.

Editors are joined by Richard Aboulafia to discuss airliner production after Airbus shared its delivery targets for this year and Boeing updated its suppliers.

Editors are joined by Agency Partners' analyst Sash Tusa to discuss the fallout of the Munich Security Conference and Saudi Arabia's World Defense Show. Key Topics: Overview of Recent Defense Events The Future of FCAS and European Defense Cooperation Germany's Nuclear Ambitions and European Security Insights from the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's Defense Industrialization Efforts Find out more about Aviation Week's Defense Conference here

NASA is under new leadership with Jared Isaacman. Listen in as he answers questions from Aviation Week's Irene Klotz after eight weeks on the job in this special episode presented by Editor-in-Chief Joe Anselmo. --- Nominations are now open for the Space Tech Challenge Awards—could your solution be a winner? Find out more and apply here https://spacetechchallenge.aviationweek.com/ 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: https://spacetechchallenge.aviationweek.com/ 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.

Airframers' 2025 delivery totals are in. Aviation Week's team grades Airbus, Boeing and the smaller OEMs on their production performance last year.

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 here

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 here Find out more about Aviation Week's Defense Conference here

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 here

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. Visit Pratt & Whitney's website to learn more about a century of innovation. Check 6 Revisits delves into Aviation Week's more than 100-year archive. Subscribers can explore our archive here and read key Aviation Week articles relating to this podcast here: New Radial Engine Ready Soon (Jan. 11, 1926) The Pratt and Whitney Wasp Engine (Feb. 15, 1926) AF Permits First Look at P&WA J57 (Nov. 16, 1953) Pratt & Whitney Evolves Turbofan From J57 Program (Jan. 26, 1959) P&W Comes Back—Strong (March 13, 1950) Power Pioneer: Pratt & Whitney's First Century (July 22, 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.

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.

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.

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 here

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.

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: America In Motion—How businesses can own their next move

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.

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.

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.

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 here

Today's satellites are cheaper, but hardly cheap. Brad King, the CEO of a propulsion supplier Orbion Space Technology, joins us to explain why.

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. Read more

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?