Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast
The State Of Innovation In A&D

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.

Direct download: Aug_15_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:12pm GMT

Commercial Engine Makers Face Acid Test

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.

Direct download: Aug_8_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:30pm GMT

Flight-Tracking After MH370

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.

Direct download: Aug_1_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:05pm GMT

Buk M-1 missile vs. Flight MH17: What Went Wrong?

Almost no one thinks the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was intentional. It’s hard to imagine an upside for Russia, Russian-backed separatists or Ukraine in blasting out of the sky an airliner full of civilians from nations not involved in the conflict. At the same time, the most capable, modern air-defense missile systems are not simple to operate. So what might have gone wrong that allowed a Buk-M1 missile to take down MH17?

Direct download: July_25_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:48pm GMT

The shootdown of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine stunned the world. But in this incident, answers are emerging much more quickly than they did in the still unsolved disappearance of Malaysia Flight MH370 earlier this year. In this week's Check 6 podcast, we delve into the incident and discuss the question of why the airplane was flying over a war zone in the first place. 

Direct download: Check6_MH17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:27pm GMT

Farnborough Air Show Commercial Outlook

Aviation Week editors take a look at the key talking points in commercial aviation ahead of the Farnborough air show.

Direct download: 7-11_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:39pm GMT

The F-35 Goes International
In the latest installment of our Check 6 podcast, Pentagon editor Amy Butler, London Bureau Chief Tony Osborne and International Defense editor Bill Sweetman discuss the the F-35’s deployment to the U.K. for the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough air shows, as well as the evolution of Europe’s fighters in the face of competition from the F-35 as well as how those European fighters will interact with the Joint Strike Fighter when operating along side each other.
 
This podcast was recorded on Monday, June 30, before the F-35 arrived in the U.K.
Direct download: July_3_Check_6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:06pm GMT

Aviation Week editors discuss the battle over re-authorization of the U.S. Export Import Bank.

Direct download: EXIM_June26.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:59pm GMT

The State of Human Deep Space Exploration

Jim Asker and Frank Morring discuss this week's cover package including new system development, the proposed asteroid mission, the next robotic mission, commercial participation, the human life science involved, budgetary considerations, international cooperation, and our ultimate current goal: Mars. Listen all the way to the end when Frank gives his opinion on how likely a human trip to Mars really is.

Direct download: June_20.mp3
Category:news -- posted at: 11:12pm GMT

Airbus, the A350 and other musings from Toulouse

The annual Airbus Innovation Days are normally two days of briefings from senior Airbus executives. But this week’s formalities kicked off with an announcement by Airbus that Emirates has cancelled its order for 70 A350s. The next day, we went flying in MSN2, the second A350 test aircraft. In between we got updates on the various new engine options, both planned and proposed.

In this week’s Check 6 podcast, recorded at Airbus’ delivery center in Toulouse, I talked to Jens and Joe about what implications the Emirates cancellation could have on the A350 program. Some of you have speculated here aviationweek.com that Emirates could be looking at the Boeing 747-8i instead, but Jens explains why that’s unlikely.


We also discuss the progress of the A320neo and its slice of the total narrowbody pie. Finally, is a bubble really brewing?

Direct download: Check6_TLS.mp3
Category:news -- posted at: 2:56pm GMT