Aviation Week editors risk the risk that wildlife pose to airports and airlines, what the industry is doing about it - including some unconventional ideas - and why there’s still plenty of work to be done. 

A new venture is developing a low-cost launch vehicle to orbit small satellites. But two smaller companies bid for – and ultimately lost – contracts to build technology demonstrators for the U.S. Army’s next-generation rotorcraft. Listen in as we discuss the state of entrepreneurship in aerospace & defense.

In this week’s Check 6 podcast, our editors discuss the state of innovation in the aerospace and defense industry. The discussion touches on past innovations that are becoming a reality in today’s military forces, why the commercial sector is so much better at harnessing innovation and whether there is an innovation crisis in aerospace.

As CFM prepares to flight test the first Leap engines in California, and Airbus gets set to make the first flight of the PW1100G-powered A320neo, Executive Editor Jim Mathews discusses with Guy Norris, AW&ST Senior Editor for propulsion, the market, the challenges, the risks and some possible directions for the future.

IATA and ICAO are on a path to make sure aircraft cannot be lost without a trace. Executive Editor Jim Mathews discussed the action with Aviation Week & Space Technology senior editor for Avionics and Safety, John Croft and Air Transport World senior editor, Aaron Karp.