Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

Aviation Week editors discuss the evolving European fighter landscape, introducing France's approach to its next-generation fighter it calls ACF, and the thinking around what will happen with Germany, Spain and the implication for the GCAP program, too.

CFM established an industry benchmark for reliability with its CFM56; roughly 24,000 are still in operation today, setting up big expectations for in-service durability. Today it continues producing spare engines, military engines and spare parts for the variant. But CFM's Leap program has been working through some issues since its entry into service.
On this episode sponsored by CFM, Aviation Week editors hear about CFM's durability roadmap from President Gaël Méheust, and how the company intends to apply lessons learned to its future Rise technology program Open Fan engine.
Listen to a past Check 6 Revisits episode exploring 40 years of CFM here

Editors discuss what the long-awaited certification of the Boeing 737-10 means for the industry and what's happening with the 777X. They also reflect on the Airbus A340-600 after its last major operator, Lufthansa, retired the quadjet.
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As developments in Ukraine highlight new issues for army aviation, editors share what they heard from leaders at AUSA 2026 and discuss how the service is looking to evolve.
Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support its defense customers, providing reliable, high performance military engines and systems for air and sea. Building on more than a century of innovation, GE Aerospace continues to mobilize a new era of growth, balancing the current needs of the industry with the advanced capabilities needed for the future.
For more information, visit https://geaerospace.com/

How will the fatal Houthi attacks that closed Riyadh Airport affect commercial aviation in the region? Aviation Week's team survey the immediate impact on Saudi Arabia and how it could alter grander plans for the industry.
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