Podcast · Leisure & Travel

10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

by Steve Davies · English · Leisure & Travel

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.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 26 min
Latest: 9 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026 · 12 min

The EP-3 Collision That Handed US Secrets to China

In 2001, a Chinese J-8 fighter collided with a US Navy EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. Badly damaged and with limited flight controls, the American crew made an emergency landing on China’s Hainan Island.Former EP-3 mission commander Hoover Coggins examines the crew’s controversial decision, the sensitive material left aboard and the intelligence windfall handed to China.Watch the complete Hoover Coggins interview on 10 Percent True.#EP3 #HainanIsland #USNavy #China #MilitaryAviation

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S96 · E1 · 2 Oct 2026 · 14 min
Intercepted 10 Times in One Mission: Inside a US Navy Spy Plane
This is a clip. For the full episode, subscribe: 10percenttrue.com Former US Navy Naval Flight Officer Hoover Coggins takes us inside the secretive world of the EP-3 electronic-intelligence aircraft. Flying from Spain and forward bases around the Mediterranean during the Cold War, Hoover progressed from navigator to senior tactical electronic-warfare evaluator and mission commander. In Part 1, he explains the EP-3’s enormous mission crew, its sensors and linguists, how operators identified hostile radar systems, and what happened when Soviet, Israeli or Libyan fighters came to investigate.
S59 · E4 · 25 Sep 2026 · 15 min
The Biggest Mistake America Made in Iraq | Former US Diplomat Explains
Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comJosé Jiménez 10PCT EP59 P4 ClipFormer F-111 pilot, Libya raider, test pilot and squadron commander José Jiménez returns to recount an extraordinary third career. After retiring from the US Air Force and briefly flying Boeing 747s, the events of 9/11 drove him back toward public service. At 44, he entered the US Foreign Service and began again at the bottom, eventually serving in Senegal, Iraq, Morocco and Zimbabwe. In this clip, José offers an unusually candid account of diplomacy, de-Ba’athification, reconstruction, terrorism and the strange…
S95 · E1 · 18 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 41 min
“It’s War Twice a Day” — Inside the Patrouille de France | Easy Béthoux
Former Mirage F1 combat pilot Easy Bethoux initially dismissed aerobatic flying as “circus” work—until a friend told him that life in the Patrouille de France was “war twice a day.” One selection flight changed everything. Easy went on to fly with and ultimately lead France’s national display team. In this remarkably candid conversation, he explains the fear, trust, discipline and emotional cost behind one of the world’s most respected formation teams. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:15 From the Mirage F1 to the Patrouille de France 00:03:26 “I’m not a circus guy” 00:04:04 “It’s war twice a day”…
S94 · E3 · 4 Sep 2026 · 9 min
Hunting Shahed Drones in a Mirage 2000 [CLIP]
Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comDiego Salgues 10PCT EP94 P3 ClipMirage 2000 veteran Diego Salgues returns for the final part of our extended conversation. We discuss the Mirage 2000-5, RDY radar, MICA, Link 16, Ukraine and a night interception in which Diego passed approximately 150 feet above a Shahed drone he could not see.We also explore how he transformed a failing conversion unit and what it means to leave fighter aviation after 2,500 hours in the Mirage.
S44 · E2 · 28 Aug 2026 · 14 min
“I Woke Up Inverted” — G-LOC in a Mirage 2000 | Diego Salgues (Part 2 Clip)
Watch full episodes at: 10percenttrue.comDiego Salgues 10PCT EP94 P2 ClipMirage 2000 pilot Diego Salgues recounts suffering G-LOC during a dogfight, waking up inverted and nose-high, and being temporarily unable to make his body recover the aircraft. He explains what caused the incident, why the mission unexpectedly continued, and how he rebuilt his confidence before pulling 9G again.
S94 · E1 · 21 Aug 2026 · 15 min
26 Years Flying the Mirage 2000 | Diego Salgues (Part 1 Clip)
Diego Salgues spent 30 years in the French Air Force and flew variants of the Mirage 2000 for an extraordinary 26 years. In Part 1, he retraces the demanding route from gliders, the Epsilon and Tucano to the Alpha Jet and finally the Mirage 2000, sharing candid stories about fighter-pilot training, squadron culture and the human cost of military aviation. He then takes us deep inside the Mirage’s fly-by-wire controls and explains how its delta wing, low-speed handling and vertical performance shaped BFM against aircraft including the MiG-29 and F-16.
S88 · E1 · 1 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 55 min
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…
S93 · E2 · 31 Jul 2026 · 11 min
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.
S93 · E1 · 17 Jul 2026 · 16 min
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…
S92 · 10 Jul 2026 · 13 min
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,…
3 Jul 2026 · 2 hr 7 min
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…
S90 · 19 Jun 2026 · 14 min
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…
S89 · E2 · 12 Jun 2026 · 13 min
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.
S89 · E1 · 5 Jun 2026 · 15 min
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…
S88 · 29 May 2026 · 15 min
F-15 vs F-16 – Which Fighter Was Better? | Dave “Khan” Carr
Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list 10PCT EP88 – Dave “Khan” Carr | F-15 Eagle, F-16 Viper, Weapons School & Aggressors Dave “Khan” Carr joins 10 Percent True to discuss an extraordinary fighter career flying both the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper. From Cold War intercepts over Alaska and Iceland to the pressure cooker of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag, and Aggressor duty, Khan offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at elite fighter aviation. This episode explores how the USAF prepared to fight the Soviet Union, how air combat tactics…
S87 · E1 · 15 May 2026 · 26 min
"We flew into Hell": the A-10 in Desert Storm | Pappy Brogli [CLIP]
Get the full, ad-free episode here: 10 Percent True Memberships 10PCT EP87 Marty “Pappy” Brogli – A-10 Desert Storm Marty “Pappy” Brogli joins 10 Percent True to tell the story of flying the A-10 Warthog in Operation Desert Storm. From Cold War preparation and the long deployment to the Gulf, to tank killing, SAMs, AAA, and losing friends in combat, Pappy delivers an extraordinarily candid account of what it was really like to fly the Hog in one of the most dangerous air wars in history. This is not the sanitised version of Desert Storm. Pappy talks honestly about fear, humour, squadron…
S84 · E2 · 8 May 2026 · 40 min
The Most Complicated Fighter Britain Ever Built? Lightning P1B Restoration, Part 2
EE Lightning P1B | 10 Percent True | EP84 – Part 2The restoration of the English Electric Lightning P1B reaches a major milestone as the fuselage emerges from storage for the first time in nearly 30 years. Blackie gives an extraordinary tour through the aircraft’s bizarre and brilliant engineering – from handmade panels and unique fuel systems to the realities of maintaining and restoring Britain’s legendary Mach 2 interceptor. Along the way, he reveals the challenges of preparing the aircraft for Goodwood, the hunt for rare original parts, and why the Lightning remains one of the most…
1 May 2026 · 31 min
Stealth Is Dead (And Other Aviation Myths) | Bullsh*t Detectorist Ep.1
This is the first episode of a new series we’re calling The Bullshit Detectorist. I’m joined by Starbaby Pietrucha, and the idea is simple—take some of the stuff you hear all the time about military aviation and see if it actually stands up. Stealth’s dead, drones have changed everything, low-frequency radar can see anything… we get into all of it.0:00 Aurora1:00 welcome back Starbaby - series outline/premise3:55 super low freq/passive radars are the death of stealth11:15 other dimensions of lo-observable?15:11 collapsing the kill chain?16:40 HARM were used to maybe make the Iraqis duck a…
24 Apr 2026 · 27 min
Why Fighter Pilots Sometimes REFUSE to Drop Bombs | Benji Prefontaine
Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listIn Episode 3, Benji Prefontaine takes you into the most demanding phase of his combat experience—flying the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard over Afghanistan in a crowded, chaotic coalition battlespace.With limited sensors, minimal weapons, and no datalink, every mission becomes a test of situational awareness and judgment. He describes near-misses in mid-air, fuel emergencies, comms failures, and the constant risk of fratricide—all while supporting troops in contact on the ground.The central theme is stark: the…
17 Apr 2026 · 28 min
From Mirage F1 to Carrier Ops – The Reality of Naval Aviation | Benji Prefontaine
Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list 10PCT EP86 P2 Benji Prefontaine In Episode 2, Benji Prefontaine moves from early operations into real combat experience—flying the Dassault Mirage F1 in Africa before transitioning to carrier aviation in the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard.He describes the shock of adapting from Air Force flying to life on the carrier—where precision, discipline, and consistency are everything. Landing on the boat becomes a defining challenge, exposing the difference between being a good pilot and being an operational one.The episode…
S92 · E1 · 10 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 36 min
Shot Down Over Iran: The Rescue of Dude 44
The rescue of the crew of DUDE 44, an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran, is one of the most complex and dangerous combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations in modern warfare. Retired USAF Colonel and Special Operations pilot Buck Walker breaks down how it happened – from the shootdown to the high-risk mission that brought the crew home. This is how CSAR really works.
S86 · E1 · 4 Apr 2026 · 32 min
Why I Chose Mirage F1 over Rafale | Benji Prefontaine
Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list 10PCT EP86 P1 – Benji Prefontaine Chapters 0:00 Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding the Merge, Low Level 3:00 Welcome, Benji 4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Super Étendard Carrier Ops 10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career? 13:44 Route to the Air Force 16:15 Initial Flying & Training Curriculum 19:04 Early Impressions & Developing Mission Focus 23:48 Choosing a Platform & Mission 27:10 Explaining Career Choices 29:15 The Mirage 2000N Mission 31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident & Its Repercussions 36:14…
S85 · E1 · 3 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 42 min
Will AI Replace Fighter Pilots? | F-35 Test Leader Explains
Cinco Hamilton | 10 Percent True | EP85Former USAF fighter pilot, F-35 test leader, and AI program director Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton joins the show to explain what artificial intelligence actually means for combat aviation. Drawing on his career flying the F-15C, standing up the MC-12 ISR platform, leading F-35 developmental test, and directing the Department of the Air Force–MIT AI Accelerator, Hamilton breaks down the difference between autonomy and AI, how machine learning is being tested in drones like the XQ-58 Valkyrie, and the ethical limits that should never be crossed. The…
22 Mar 2026 · 4 min
10 Percent True Channel Update March 2026
S83 · E3 · 20 Mar 2026 · 32 min
Cold War Phantom: Nuclear Alert, Weapons School & Soviet Intercepts
Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 3In the final instalment of my conversation with Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw, we close out his Phantom career.From Cold War nuclear strike planning in Europe to flying large-force exercises at Nellis and combat-ready deployments in the Pacific, Pinbag walks us through the evolution of the F-4E and the realities of fighter operations in the late Cold War.We talk about weapons school culture, the arrival of systems like Pave Tack and ARN-101, Sparrow missile performance, Soviet encounters in the Pacific, and what it was really like operating the Phantom at…
S83 · E2 · 12 Mar 2026 · 28 min
From Germany to Korea: Cold War Life in the F-4E Phantom
Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 2 In Part Two of our conversation, Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw takes us operational. From Korea to Germany, this is life in a Cold War Phantom squadron — where Victor Alert was real, nuclear strike planning was routine, and NATO air defence timelines were measured in minutes. In this episode we discuss: • What sitting nuclear Victor Alert actually meant • How QRA posture worked in Europe and the Pacific • Intercept geometry against Warsaw Pact aircraft • NATO strike planning and…
S83 · E1 · 6 Mar 2026 · 30 min
"You're in TAC, Now!" Flying the F-4 Phantom after Vietnam
Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 1 Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw flew the F-4E Phantom II at a pivotal moment in USAF history. Commissioned during the draft era, he entered Tactical Air Command just as the Air Force was absorbing the hard lessons of Vietnam and rebuilding its fighter culture from the ground up. In this first part of our conversation, Pinbag explains: • Why the J79 smoked — and how crews worked around it • What Red Baron reports actually taught young Phantom crews • How Fighter Lead-In training at Holloman…
S82 · E1 · 1 Mar 2026 · 31 min
Could You Land an F-35B? Test Pilot Says Yes
Jif Paines | 10 Percent True | EP82Chapters Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list In this episode, former RAF Harrier pilot and X-35B test pilot “Jif” Paines explains how the F-35B’s revolutionary STOVL flight control system was born. From early Harrier night attack operations to experimental fly-by-wire research on the VAAC Harrier , Jif traces the technical and philosophical battle that led to Unified Flight Control — the system that made the F-35B dramatically easier to fly . Along the way he discusses: • Auto-eject systems and pilot safety philosophy •…
S83 · E1 · 27 Feb 2026 · 19 min
Inside the Secret Barn: Restoring Britain’s First Mach 2 Jet
EE Lightning P1B | 10 Percent True | EP84 – Part 1 In a secret barn in East Anglia, former RAF Lightning pilot Ian “Blackie” Black reveals the extraordinary story of the very first English Electric Lightning P1B — the first British aircraft to reach Mach 2.Built by English Electric and flown by Battle of Britain ace Roland Beamont, this hand-built prototype marked Britain’s leap into the supersonic age. Decades later, after museum life, near-scrapping, and years hidden away, the aircraft is being painstakingly restored — with plans to unveil it publicly for the first time in 30 years.…

About 10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit is a English leisure & travel podcast from Steve Davies. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Steve Davies
Language: English
Category: Leisure & Travel
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 26 min
Latest episode: 9 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1500955155
Rights: Steve Davies

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