Show Notes
Super Harris 10 Percent True EP80 P1In this wide-ranging and unvarnished conversation, retired USAF two-star General “Super” Harris explains how U.S. military acquisition and flight-test culture has changed since the end of the Cold War—and why he believes those changes are dangerous. Drawing on decades as an electronic warfare officer, developmental tester, squadron commander, and instructor at Test Pilot School, Harris lays out a four-stage framework charting the consolidation of defence contractors, the erosion of developmental and operational testing, the rise of concurrency, and today’s push toward “DevOps at the front line.” Using real examples—from the F-22’s infamous International Date Line failure to bomber weapons integration and modern naval systems—he argues that skipping test and accepting immature systems risks lives, credibility, and deterrence itself. It’s a candid, insider warning about how great powers lose their edge, and why testing still matters0:00 Support the channel0:37 Intro teaser4:09 Welcome back Super – framing the episode – Developmental/Operational testing today11:36 The Military Industrial Complex and Eisenhower’s mic drop15:42 the F-111 gone so EF-111 suffers by association – TPS graduate with nowhere to go! So B-1……23:57 black hats and white hats25:55 B-1 qualled but only there to “put the new thing on”28:12 SQN CDR highlights29:17 80 bomb load DT Graduation story (smiley face)34:21 flying a B-52 mission while watching Dr Strangelove39:22 win big – bad things happen….40:43 a litany of stupid (not all innovation is good)44:52 “the last supper” and its fallout (consolidation of corporations/contractors)50:07 the 4 stages (preview of coming attractions – intro teaser)58:22 who is “Col Nicholson”? – when ethics slide1:03:27 the right reasons….1:08:27 “acquisition reform” is not the problem1:14:52 FORD class failures – tail wags the dog – “the testers are the problem”1:20:04 Raptors, Deficiency Reports and across the date line to Kadena1:35:07 4Stars “wanting it so bad” (why hasn’t Steve seen A Christmas Story!)1:41:07 the “last” last question – the solution?1:46:57 previewing next episode
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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” 00:05:31 Arriving for the selection day 00:07:00 Flying in the Alpha Jet’s back seat 00:09:12 The formation tightens—and Easy cries 00:10:33 The dynamic flight at 100 feet 00:12:00 The selection interview 00:15:00 Joining the team and starting again 00:19:40 Searching for the perfect formation flight 00:21:16 Going to war with yourself 00:25:01 Learning to accept fear 00:27:29 “I was afraid of dying” 00:34:00 A typical Patrouille de France training day 00:39:00 The pilot–mechanic relationship 00:44:00 Learning movements from the team’s “Bible” 00:50:30 The training flight that nearly ended in ejection 00:57:50 The relentless display schedule 01:10:00 Safety, fatigue and flying within your limits 01:19:09 Dealing with threats during a live display 01:25:46 The hardest part of the job 01:31:00 When the entire formation reaches 100% 01:34:15 Choosing the next leader 01:38:25 Emotion and honesty among fighter pilots 01:39:43 Easy’s fear above Flight Level 300 01:45:01 Creating the “Apache” manoeuvre 01:50:00 Meeting the world’s other display teams 01:54:57 Why the Alpha Jet works so well 02:05:34 What audiences never see behind the display 02:15:00 How the show continues to evolve 02:21:40 Leaving the Patrouille de France 02:24:19 Bringing every pilot home 02:24:35 Bertrand and the death of his father 02:31:44 “You bring him back every day” 02:33:26 The team’s accident and safety briefing 02:35:35 Should Bertrand see his father’s fatal accident? 02:37:31 The decision and its aftermath 02:39:50 “You can be a fighter and you can cry” 02:41:00 Closing thoughts