10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

Steve Davies
  • 4.9 (172)
  • Aviation
  • Updated Biweekly

Interviews and anecdotes from military pilots and aircrew from across the globe. As the rule says, so long as it's 10 percent true, you're allowed to tell the story! Head over to the 10 Percent True YouTube channel to listen and watch at the same time.

  1. Aug 1 ·  Bonus

    F-15, F-16, Weapons School & Aggressors | Dave “Khan” Carr

    If you enjoy this episode, please take out a subscription to 10 Percent True at: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list. 10PCT EP88 Dave “Khan” Carr – F-15, F-16, Weapons School & AggressorsDave “Khan” Carr joins 10 Percent True to discuss an extraordinary fighter career flying the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper.From Cold War intercepts over Alaska and Iceland, to the Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag Aggressors, and teaching the next generation of fighter pilots, Khan offers a rare insight into the reality of high-end air combat.This is a deep dive into how the USAF prepared to fight the Soviet Union, how air combat tactics evolved through the Cold War and beyond, and what it really takes to become a top-tier fighter pilot.Along the way, Khan shares stories of Arctic alert missions, Weapons School pressure, Aggressor training, massive Red Flag battles, Soviet threat replication, and how the Eagle and Viper compared in a fight.If you’ve ever wanted to understand what really happens behind the scenes in elite fighter aviation, this is one you won’t want to miss.⸻0:00 Intro Teaser – Eagle vs Viper Differences2:20 A Quick Word from Steve4:04 Welcome Khan4:50 Khan Introduces Himself6:40 First Tour at Elmendorf – Flying the Eagle in Alaska8:38 Early Career Challenges and Encounters12:12 Discussing Losses in the Early Days14:08 Dealing with Loss15:34 Eyeing the Next Career Step – and Making It Happen17:17 Keflavik – CFTs and Diversions to Scotland19:47 Steve Geeks Out on CFTs21:14 The Mission at Keflavik – Bears, Tomcats and Lightnings (with Tankers)23:04 Honing Air-to-Air Skills as the Eagle Matured25:28 Dialling Up the AoA – “It Depends…”26:55 Rudder Use, When to Use It, and Evolving Tactics28:32 Weapons School – Selection, Work-Ups and Challenges32:40 A Memorable Weapons School Sortie – Vark Speed and Perfect Execution35:58 Why No “Super Squadrons”?37:24 The Benefits of Weapons School Graduation40:30 Expertise Across All Facets of the Mission41:52 Tyndall and the FTU44:35 Does It Get Better Than This?46:18 Eagle Culture – and Did It Change?49:52 Peak Performance or Room for Improvement? The Importance of COMMS54:12 Getting Granular – What It Takes to Make It in the Eagle Community56:34 Regrets About Missing Desert Storm?58:12 Joining the Aggressors59:48 Being a “True” Aggressor1:04:25 Gloves Off?1:06:10 Simulating the Threat as Accurately as Possible – Who Sees Who?1:09:48 Maintaining Situational Awareness1:10:55 Becoming a Threat System SME – The Process1:13:05 Expectation vs Reality as More Information Became Available1:15:50 “Natural” Bias?1:17:54 Views on Threat Advantages and Capabilities1:21:45 Eagle vs Viper Comparisons (Intro Teaser Topic)1:25:02 The “Bad Bob” (VX-9 F-14D) Encounter1:26:55 Toughest Opponent as an Aggressor?1:30:19 When Things Don’t Go to Plan – Scaring Yourself1:34:10 Eating Shit as an Eagle Guy Flying Vipers?1:34:54 Twilight of a Career – Guard Life, MSIP A Models, NVGs and Iraq1:39:32 Young vs Old Eagle Driver1:42:14 Keeping Up with Evolving Tactics and Changes1:49:30 Fini Flight1:53:15 Do You Miss It?1:53:54 Thanks Khan – Till Next Time

  2. Jul 31 ·  Bonus

    How Australia Turned the F/A-18A Hornet into a Killer [CLIP]

    Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listFormer Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot and Fighter Combat Instructor Ray "Homer" Simpson returns for Part 2.

  3. Jul 17 ·  Bonus

    How to Dogfight the F/A-18 Hornet | RAAF Fighter Combat Instructor Explains

    Former Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot and Fighter Combat Instructor Ray "Homer" Simpson joins me for the first of a two-part conversation covering one of the most detailed discussions of fighter aviation we've ever recorded.In Part 1 we explore Homer's journey into the RAAF after three attempts to join, his early Hornet career, becoming a Fighter Combat Instructor, and the realities of Basic Fighter Manoeuvres (BFM). Homer explains how Hornet pilots learned to dogfight, what separated average pilots from exceptional ones, how the classic Hornet behaved before the flight control computer upgrades, and what changed with the arrival of AMRAAM, ASRAAM, Link 16, JHMCS and the Hornet Upgrade Program.We also discuss DACT against MiG-29s and F-16s, Australian fighter culture, instructor philosophy and the progression from student to instructor.Watch full episodes early and support the channel at:10percenttrue.com

    How to Dogfight the F/A-18 Hornet | RAAF Fighter Combat Instructor Explains

  4. Season 92 Trailer

    How Australia Flew the F/A-18 Before Link 16, JHMCS and AMRAAM

    Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT Episode #92 [CLIP]Former Royal Australian Air Force Hornet pilot Gary “Schlick” Skilton joins me to discuss life flying the F/A-18A Hornet during the 1990s.Before reaching fighters, Schlick spent three years flying the DHC-4 Caribou into remote Australian bush strips and the mountains of Papua New Guinea. Those experiences shaped the airmanship that helped him transition to the Hornet.We discuss the RAAF training pipeline, Hornet conversion, Australian fighter culture, BFM, early AMRAAM integration, operating without Link 16 or an IFF interrogator, exchange pilots from the US, UK and Canada, flying against MiG-29s and F-15s, and the Hornet Upgrade Program that transformed the aircraft after his departure.

    How Australia Flew the F/A-18 Before Link 16, JHMCS and AMRAAM

  5. Jul 3

    Inside America’s Silent Service | A US Navy Sonarman Explains

    What is it actually like to serve aboard a nuclear submarine?Former US Navy sonar operator Aaron Amick joins me to explain the reality of submarine warfare, from the training pipeline and sonar school to real Cold War patrols tracking Russian submarines.We discuss how sonar operators identify ships purely by sound, what happens when another submarine appears unexpectedly beneath the sea, life during months-long deployments without surfacing, submarine tactics, acoustic intelligence, and why experience matters far more than technology.Aaron also shares stories from operational patrols, close encounters with Russian anti-submarine forces, the psychology of life underwater, and some of the strangest things ever detected beneath the ocean.Whether you’re interested in submarines, naval warfare or simply how military professionals operate in one of the world’s most demanding environments, this is a fascinating look inside the Silent Service.(game videos) Jive Turkey Live: https://www.youtube.com/@jiveturkeylive(lecture series) Sub Brief: https://www.youtube.com/@SubBrief(live streams every Wed. & Fri.) Sonar and Steel: https://www.youtube.com/@sonarandsteel(company Website) https://www.subbrief.com/0:00 Introduction1:50 Welcome to Aaron and episode outline4:20 Inspiration to become a submariner8:17 Sonar A School10:38 Merchant ship vs warship acoustic signatures13:13 Did it come naturally, and what happened to those who washed out?16:07 Understanding the LOFARgram (the “waterfall” display)19:20 The first time detecting another submarine20:45 The submarine tactics playbook and how it is learned28:47 The training cadre32:28 Aaron’s YouTube channels35:04 Two years in the Navy before setting foot on a submarine37:13 Life aboard the Los Angeles and Ohio classes: living conditions, accommodation and watch rotations44:20 Can you talk normally inside a submarine?45:32 Deployments vs getting underway, knowing where you’re going, and the perks of being a sonarman51:00 The first operational mission during the aftermath of the USS Baton Rouge collision56:35 Experience versus knowledge: the psychological and emotional challenge1:00:25 Six-hour watches: staring at the LOFAR display and staying alert1:04:16 Managing multiple contacts and building situational awareness1:08:30 The evolution of sensor fusion and communicating the tactical picture1:13:38 The last shower before a mission… and living with the smell1:16:08 The longest time spent underwater1:17:30 Medical emergencies at sea1:20:55 The Udaloy encounter1:30:04 Understanding the adversary1:33:00 Maintaining close formation with another submarine1:36:22 Views on Russian and Chinese submarine forces1:42:53 Synthetic aperture radar from space1:45:08 Aaron’s journey as a sonarman1:48:04 Underwater UAPs and unexplained contacts1:55:14 The final mission1:58:55 Did the career meet or exceed expectations?2:01:00 Does Modern Naval Warfare bring frustration or fond memories?2:03:05 The SubBrief team2:05:20 The “last last” question: taking content down2:07:40 Wrapping up

    Inside America’s Silent Service | A US Navy Sonarman Explains

  6. Jun 19

    The Wild West Air War: Strike Eagle Crews Over Libya

    10PCT Episode #90This is an interview recorded as part of my research for Twenty Years at War - the second part of my series of coffee table books on the F-15E Strike Eagle: https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/tyaw-pre-orderFour F-15E veterans — “Deuce” Cooper, “Funkle” Esler, “NAILS” Ashmore and “Leroy” Domberg — reunite to discuss Operation Odyssey Dawn and the opening phase of the Libya air war in 2011. What begins as a discussion about Libya quickly becomes a broader conversation about the Strike Eagle community’s transition from the highly restrictive, JTAC-driven wars in Iraq and Afghanistan back to dynamic targeting, SCAR, coalition strike operations and independent decision-making. The group recounts the rapid deployment from RAF Lakenheath, the uncertainty surrounding Libyan air defences, the first night over Benghazi, the loss of BOLAR 34, the evolution of tactics during the campaign, and the lessons that would later shape operations against ISIS and beyond. Along the way they discuss mission planning, coalition integration, the value of the two-seat cockpit, targeting pods, radar development, CCA concepts and the future of the Strike Eagle.

  7. Jun 12

    How U.S. Marines Rescued an F-15E Crew From Libya [CLIP]

    Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT EP89 P2 MeSo Harney and Mask StarkMask recounts his own ordeal on the ground, including encounters with local Libyans, an uncertain journey to Benghazi, and efforts to establish contact with coalition forces.

    How U.S. Marines Rescued an F-15E Crew From Libya [CLIP]

  8. Jun 5

    Meso Mask

    10PCT EP89 MeSo Harney and Mask Stark0:00 welcome to Mask and MeSo and episode preview 1:02 MeSo intro1:55 Mask intro3:22 background to the fateful deployment 5:40 initial 6 ship deployment ends in a bunch of diversions7:02 mission set(s)9:00 defining SCAR from the crew point of view10:42 geographical constraints?11:30 co-ordinating with other assets13:20 treading unfamiliar ground with the spotlight on you?15:20 co-ordinating with ground assets?16:55 difficulty with ROE/authority/responsibility?20:55 weaponeering/loadouts23:17 strafe?24:55 threats?26:46 SERE refresher and preparation/study?30:40 hard crewed, previous flight experience together?33:35 standardisation?34:00 mission of the day, mission planning and ejection contract37:30 pre planned evasion tactics?39:18 initial phase of the mission40:48 trapped fuel, initial troubleshooting and handling imbalance in the established community fashion43:09 target details45:12 target egress, loading and initial indications of trouble47:30 -229 jets spin departure aids - did they work?49:30 thought process in this phase?51:05 mayday call51:44 flight lead’s SA and tapes?53:10 bailout decision and sequence56:45 opening shock (of chute) and bye bye NVGs59:02 how long in the chute and contemplating landing1:03:50 landing roll/PLF

    Meso Mask
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Interviews and anecdotes from military pilots and aircrew from across the globe. As the rule says, so long as it's 10 percent true, you're allowed to tell the story! Head over to the 10 Percent True YouTube channel to listen and watch at the same time.

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