Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

Confronting New Chinese Nuclear Weapons

September 28, 2021 09:00 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MB

Aviation Week editors discuss hot topics from the Air Force Association’s annual meeting including China’s massive buildup in nuclear capability, a change in acquisition approach at the Pentagon and the next competition for aerial refueling tankers.

Interview With The Inspiration4’s Jared Isaacman

September 24, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MB

The billionaire commander of the three-day mission to space talks about his experience and the importance of humans continuing to explore the heavens.

The Risks of Conducting Over the Horizon Strikes

September 17, 2021 01:21 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MB

With its exit from Afghanistan, the U.S. is beginning a new phase of drone warfare, conducting strikes there without forces on the ground. But is the current technology enough to safely execute the mission?

How 9/11 Unfolded At Aviation Week

September 10, 2021 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MB

Aviation Week editors witnessed terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and flew on missions guarding the capital. Listen to their stories.

Europe’s Travel Restrictions and the Fate of Aviation’s Recovery

September 02, 2021 15:54 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MB

Will surging COVID infections push back a recovery in aviation? And what’s behind Europe’s new restrictions on U.S. travelers? Listen in to find out.

Highlights from the Space Symposium

August 26, 2021 21:38 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MB

NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion are big-government programs trying to keep pace in a marketplace increasingly dominated by commercial industry, meanwhile, the U.S. military is looking to build bridges to international partners, that same commercial industry and to the intelligence community.

The Outlook With PwC: Why a Market Digital Twin is Critical to AAM's Success

August 24, 2021 06:16 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MB

Using a "digital twin" to model market demand and behaviors will help AAM players understand and trigger mass adoption. Listen in as Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick delves into the details with two PwC experts.

Why a Market Digital Twin is Critical to AAM's Success

August 24, 2021 06:16 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MB

Using a "digital twin" to model market demand and behaviors will help AAM players understand and trigger mass adoption. Listen in as Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick delves into the details with two PwC experts.

Inside A New Skunk Works Factory

August 20, 2021 08:00 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MB

A newly opened factory on the Skunk Works complex heralds a new era and a return to series manufacturing by Lockheed Martin's 78-year-old advanced development programs business unit. Aviation Week Defense Editor Steve Trimble attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 10. He talks with fellow editor Guy Norris about what he saw and what it means for the next wave of military aircraft production.

A New Player in the Transatlantic Market: How Will JetBlue Shake Things Up?

August 12, 2021 17:24 - 21 minutes - 29.1 MB

Listen in as Aviation Week Network editors discuss what could be one of the most significant developments in long-haul commercial air travel as New York’s JetBlue starts daily service to London.

Behind The Headlines At Boeing And Airbus

August 05, 2021 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Listen in as Aviation Week editors discuss why Boeing’s next clean sheet airplane may be a long way off and why Airbus’ CEO is mad at a key supplier.

Report From Oshkosh, 2021’s Biggest Air Show By Any Measure

July 29, 2021 16:00 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MB

The Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture always draws more people than any other air show. The mood is optimistic as people see the economy rebounding. Humanitarian organizations that use aircraft to support their mission also have a large presence. Listen in as Aviation Week editors on the ground discuss what's caught their eye this year.

Sizing Up Russia’s New Light Fighter

July 23, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MB

Sukhoi rolled out the model of a new fighter aircraft during the MAKS show in Russia targeting the export market. Aviation Week editors discuss the design and its prospects in a crowded market.

eSTOL Aircraft Break Into AAM Reality Index

July 15, 2021 15:20 - 15 minutes - 21.8 MB

In the most recent release of the Advanced Air Mobility Reality Index, Electra and Airflow hit the top 20 list with their eSTOL aircraft. Aviation Week's Graham Warwick and Sergio Cecutta of SMG Consulting discuss the market feasibility of eSTOL and the challenges that lie ahead.

Winners And Losers In United’s Big Aircraft Order

July 08, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutes - 20.1 MB

Listen in as Aviation Week editors delve into the nuances of United Airlines’ decision to buy 200 Boeing 737 MAXs and Airbus A321neos and what it means for the regional jet market.

What can companies and individuals do to encourage race and gender equity?

July 01, 2021 02:12 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MB

Bird Guess, president/CEO of The Racial Equity Group, and Dr. Rebecca Keiser, chief of research security strategy and policy at the National Science Foundation, provide context and concrete actions.

Interview with ULA’s Tory Bruno

June 24, 2021 17:16 - 54 minutes - 75.5 MB

The president and CEO of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) discusses the company’s upcoming first launch of the new Vulcan rocket, the impact of the Space Force and the future of space transportation. Tory Bruno touched on a number of topics in this wide-ranging interview with Aviation Week editors Jen DiMascio and Irene Klotz. Here is a guide to the discussion: 1:05 ULA Vulcan Centaur overview 2:05 Vulcan first launch 2:22 Blue Origin BE-4 engine is the Vulcan’s pacing item 2:52 Astro...

Check 6 With Accenture: The Dollars and Sense of 1s and 0s in A&D Manufacturing

June 15, 2021 16:57 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MB

It is 2 a.m., do you know where your digital twin is? Once buzzwords, the aerospace and defense industrial base is embracing the digital thread in manufacturing at an increasing pace. Managers see a future where digital twin approaches go from just product design to the whole supply system. Coupled with other technological leaps, such as working from anywhere on any device, digitization promises many benefits but also challenges. Costs, cyber risks and human capital challenges loom. Aviation ...

The Dollars and Sense of 1s and 0s in A&D Manufacturing

June 15, 2021 16:57 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MB

It is 2 a.m., do you know where your digital twin is? Once buzzwords, the aerospace and defense industrial base is embracing the digital thread in manufacturing at an increasing pace. Managers see a future where digital twin approaches go from just product design to the whole supply system. Coupled with other technological leaps, such as working from anywhere on any device, digitization promises many benefits but also challenges. Costs, cyber risks and human capital challenges loom. Aviation...

Giddy And Nervous In LA

June 11, 2021 09:31 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MB

The 2021 SpeedNews Commercial Aviation Industry Supplier Conference in LA this month provided many executives and advisors the first opportunity to gather again since COVID-19 shut down the sector a year before. Aviation Week Business Editor Michael Bruno talks with Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group, Ron Epstein of Bank of America and Kevin Michaels of AeroDynamic Advisory about the state of industry, the future, and the past.

NTSB’s Robert Sumwalt On Next Steps For Safety

June 09, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutes - 22.5 MB

Before his retirement on June 30, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt shares insights into some key things that would make the aviation industry safer—and how to do it.

Ranking the AAM Leaders – an Inside View

June 04, 2021 03:20 - 30 minutes - 41.7 MB

Ranking the leading players in the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) market is a full-time task as companies almost daily announce product or investment milestones. As Aviation Week launches a new publication dedicated to the AAM ecosystem, technology editor Graham Warwick and senior editor Guy Norris are joined by SMG Consulting’s Sergio Cecutta to discuss the thinking behind the latest update of his AAM Reality Index.

Will Aircraft Production Come Roaring Back?

May 28, 2021 01:49 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MB

Both Airbus and Boeing are looking in big boosts in production of their narrowbody jets. But with some regions of the world still closed to outsiders, the widebody market is a different story. Listen in as Aviation Week editors break down the situation.

The Digital Revolution Has Only Just Begun

May 21, 2021 08:38 - 14 minutes - 13 MB

Industry leaders say it is a question of when – not if – markets will surpass pre-pandemic business levels. But make no mistake, A&D has been forever changed by the effects of the outbreak, and there is no better place to see that makeover than in the digital revolution sweeping industry. Accenture’s TechVision 2021 found 89% of executives say employees face the largest and fastest change in history. Listen as Accenture leaders and Aviation Week dive into what it means for A&D.

Check 6 With Accenture: The Digital Revolution Has Only Just Begun

May 21, 2021 08:38 - 14 minutes - 13 MB

Industry leaders say it is a question of when – not if – markets will surpass pre-pandemic business levels. But make no mistake, A&D has been forever changed by the effects of the outbreak, and there is no better place to see that makeover than in the digital revolution sweeping industry. Accenture’s TechVision 2021 found 89% of executives say employees face the largest and fastest change in history. Listen as Accenture leaders and Aviation Week dive into what it means for A&D.

Dassault’s BizJet Power Play

May 11, 2021 12:32 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MB

It’s $75 million Falcon 10X will take on Gulfstream and Bombardier in the ultra-long-range market—and aims to correct a mistake made decades ago. Listen in as Aviation Week editors Joe Anselmo, Molly McMillin and Thierry Dubois discuss with analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Giving Autonomous Aircraft a Moral Compass

May 06, 2021 17:44 - 23 minutes - 31.7 MB

Will we ever be able to trust an autonomous aircraft? Mark Skoog, the principal investigator for autonomy at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, joins Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick and Guy Norris to discuss an effort to enable autonomous aircraft to be programmed with internal values and rules of behavior to ensure they are safe. Listen in.

JetClub Launches in Europe

May 03, 2021 17:30 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MB

BCA editor Bill Carey speaks with Vishal Hiremath, co-founder of fractional ownership company JetIt, about plans to launch sister company JetClub in Europe.

Explaining the F-35’s Cost and Programmatic Issues

April 28, 2021 08:36 - 21 minutes - 29.6 MB

After a blistering congressional hearing, Aviation Week editors break down some of the F-35 program’s recent struggles and cost issues to develop the program and maintain and operate the fighter.

Flight on Mars—An Interview with Smithsonian’s Ellen Stofan

April 19, 2021 15:16 - 18 minutes - 25 MB

After a successful first flight of the Ingenuity on Mars, the under secretary for science and research at the Smithsonian Institution Ellen Stofan talks with Aviation Week editors about the historic nature of the mission, coming 117 years after the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Behind The Scenes At Sun ‘n Fun

April 15, 2021 19:43 - 6 minutes - 6.04 MB

Greg Gibson, Sun ‘n Fun airshow director and chief marketing officer, speaks with Molly McMillin, Aviation Week managing editor of business aviation, about the return of the aerospace expo and the importance of the show, following last year’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the number of exhibitors is down 20% from typical years this time, attendance is setting records. Is this show laying the groundwork for AirVenture Oshkosh in July?

Boeing’s Latest 737 MAX Headache

April 15, 2021 03:20 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Power unit glitch forces new MAX groundings and adds to quality control woes. But is it a storm in a teacup? Listen in as Aviation Week’s editors analyze Boeing’s latest challenge.

Is U.S. Aviation Leading the Way out of the COVID Crisis?

April 09, 2021 08:43 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MB

Air travel is surging back in the U.S., but the opposite is happening in other regions. Aviation Week’s editors and forecasters explain why—and what it means for airlines and aircraft manufacturers.

Skyborg Express

March 29, 2021 08:48 - 16 minutes - 22.9 MB

Skyborg could also be a cargo delivery aircraft. The program launched by Air Force Research Laboratory is mainly known for developing artificial intelligence for a new family of unmanned combat air vehicles, but the program also includes Volansi's cargo delivery system. We talk with Volansi CEO Hannan Parvizian and newly appointed board member Will Roper, formerly assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, about how Volansi could become the next Skyborg.

Should Aerospace Fear the Red Dragon or Ride It?

March 25, 2021 14:54 - 24 minutes - 34 MB

China could become the world’s largest commercial aviation system by the middle of the decade. Up to recently, Western suppliers were integral to the Asia giant’s aerospace development, and the relationship was mutually beneficial. But with the new Biden administration potentially following the former Trump administration’s more-adversarial approaches, and with Comac’s C919 hitting new milestones, a new era is dawning on the trans-Pacific paradigm. In this episode of Check 6, Aviation Week S...

Nanoracks’ CEO On Commercializing Space

March 19, 2021 09:51 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MB

Nanoracks CEO Jeff Manber predicts that by the end of the year, private space companies will have more discretionary money to spend than the U.S. federal government. Listen in as he provides an update on his company’s acquisition by Voyager space and more.

UAM Skeptics On The Hot Seat

March 15, 2021 10:07 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MB

Nineteen months after they predicted UAM would be a niche market, Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick and Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia are back to address why investors are now pouring billions of dollars into the emerging sector.

Learjet: An Inside View From Those Who’ve Been There

March 10, 2021 02:30 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MB

Don Grommesh, Bill Lear’s employee No. 8, served as chief engineer, vice president of Learjet engineering and vice president and general manager of customer service. Al Higdon, Joined Lear Jet in 1964 and helped make Learjet a household name. Higdon, now retired, is co-founder of Sullivan, Higdon & Sink, now Signal Theory. Dave Franson, joined Learjet as director of public affairs from 1997 and served for seven years. Franson is now president of the Wichita Aero Club.

Check 6 With Accenture: Up, Down or Sideways – the Commercial Aero Business Look-Ahead

March 05, 2021 09:40 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

It has been a roller coaster ride in aerospace over the last year. From how to keep up with demand, to how to keep the lights on, to how to restructure and even rebound – the A&D sector has seen it all since this time last year when Covid-19 was just beginning to register worldwide. One year on, how is industry responding and what do A&D leaders think will happen in the coming months and years? In this edition of Check 6 with Accenture, Senior Business Editor Michael Bruno explores these topi...

Up, Down or Sideways – the Commercial Aero Business Look-Ahead

March 05, 2021 09:40 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

It has been a roller coaster ride in aerospace over the last year. From how to keep up with demand, to how to keep the lights on, to how to restructure and even rebound – the A&D sector has seen it all since this time last year when Covid-19 was just beginning to register worldwide. One year on, how is industry responding and what do A&D leaders think will happen in the coming months and years? In this edition of Check 6 with Accenture, Senior Business Editor Michael Bruno explores these top...

Interview with Inspiration4’s Civilian Commander

March 03, 2021 12:27 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MB

Aviation Week editors talk with Jared Isaacman, the founder and CEO of Shift4Payments, and the man about to command first all-civilian mission on board a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

Engine Trouble

February 26, 2021 20:35 - 21 minutes - 30 MB

As the Pentagon is grappling with how to maintain the F135 engine powering F-35 fighters, the engine on a Boeing airliner failed on a flight in the western U.S. Aviation Week editors discuss what these incidents mean for safety and reliability as well as the future of military engines.

Dennis Muilenburg’s Bet on the Future

February 19, 2021 10:59 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MB

Listen in as the former Boeing CEO and his new business partner Kirsten Bartok Touw discuss plans to invest in transformational aerospace technologies—and why the next 20 years could be the best ever.

Air Force One: Flying Fortress

February 13, 2021 18:18 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MB

The special episode of the podcast offers the full recording of an interview with Scott Bateman, the executive producer of a new documentary about the U.S. President's long-range transport fleet.

Podcast: What Are SPACs -- And Why Are They Important To A&D?

February 12, 2021 04:11 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MB

Investors are putting billions into urban air mobility and space projects, hoping to strike the next Tesla. Listen in as Aviation Week editors discuss the trend.

The Evolution of the Reaper

February 05, 2021 10:30 - 19 minutes - 27.4 MB

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9, proposed as a way to facilitate communications in the late 1990s, really caught on as a way for the U.S. to track insurgents during its so-called war on terrorism. Since then, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles has revolutionized warfare, but will its future hold? Aviation Week editors discuss potential changes for the platform in the U.S. and abroad.

Did The Pandemic Solve The Pilot Shortage? What Lies Ahead For Business Aviation?

February 04, 2021 21:01 - 20 minutes - 4.66 MB

Before the pandemic, demand for professional pilots was intense and the long-term outlook predicted severe shortages. The pandemic and decrease in air travel has led to widespread pilot layoffs and furloughs. Did COVID-19 suddenly solve the pilot shortage problem? What lies ahead for business aviation once the pandemic subsides? Will the shortage return?

Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

Episodes

Guests