10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit
10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit
Steve Davies
Why I Chose Mirage F1 over Rafale | Benji Prefontaine
32 minutes Posted Apr 4, 2026 at 7:00 pm.
Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding the Merge, Low Level3:00 Welcome, Benji4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Super Étendard Carrier Ops10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career?13:44 Route to the Air Force16:15 Initial Flying & Training Curriculum19:04 Early Impressions & Developing Mission Focus23:48 Choosing a Platform & Mission27:10 Explaining Career Choices29:15 The Mirage 2000N Mission31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident & Its Repercussions36:14 Ready for That Conversation?38:44 The Reward for That Risk40:22 Alpha Jet46:36 Air-to-Air Phase – How Formative?49:18 Armée de l’Air Culture56:00 Parents’ Opinions57:37 Mirage F1CT – Introduction, Impressions & Capabilities1:06:05 Electronic Warfare Suite1:07:40 MATRA 530 – Fox 1 Capability1:13:53 Were Export F1 Variants Better?1:17:00 Diving Deeper into EW Capabilities1:20:42 M1.3 Corner Speed – Avoiding the Merge at Low Level1:23:34 “Cheating” in the F1?1:26:10 DACT Opportunities1:27:57 Taking on the Mirage 20001:30:48 Recce & Air-to-Ground Role1:36:45 ELINT System Autonomy & Mission Planning1:40:26 Datalink1:41:50 Flying Qualities (and Vices) of the F11:46:04 Bird Strikes1:48:20 Experience on the F1CT & Close Calls1:50:58 Air-to-Air Refuelling – Tankers, Techniques & Night Ops2:02:15 Geeking Out & Previewing the Next Episode
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Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT EP86 P1 – Benji PrefontaineChapters0:00 Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding the Merge, Low Level3:00 Welcome, Benji4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Super Étendard Carrier Ops10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career?13:44 Route to the Air Force16:15 Initial Flying & Training Curriculum19:04 Early Impressions & Developing Mission Focus23:48 Choosing a Platform & Mission27:10 Explaining Career Choices29:15 The Mirage 2000N Mission31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident & Its Repercussions36:14 Ready for That Conversation?38:44 The Reward for That Risk40:22 Alpha Jet46:36 Air-to-Air Phase – How Formative?49:18 Armée de l’Air Culture56:00 Parents’ Opinions57:37 Mirage F1CT – Introduction, Impressions & Capabilities1:06:05 Electronic Warfare Suite1:07:40 MATRA 530 – Fox 1 Capability1:13:53 Were Export F1 Variants Better?1:17:00 Diving Deeper into EW Capabilities1:20:42 M1.3 Corner Speed – Avoiding the Merge at Low Level1:23:34 “Cheating” in the F1?1:26:10 DACT Opportunities1:27:57 Taking on the Mirage 20001:30:48 Recce & Air-to-Ground Role1:36:45 ELINT System Autonomy & Mission Planning1:40:26 Datalink1:41:50 Flying Qualities (and Vices) of the F11:46:04 Bird Strikes1:48:20 Experience on the F1CT & Close Calls1:50:58 Air-to-Air Refuelling – Tankers, Techniques & Night Ops2:02:15 Geeking Out & Previewing the Next Episode