Air America 1990

As the tumultuous year 1969 unfolded, a seemingly routine aerial encounter in the lush jungles of Laos would set the stage for a gripping tale of adventure and intrigue. In a moment of defiance, a local communist peasant took aim at a soaring US transport plane, striking it with precision. The aircraft limped back to its base, spewing smoke as it crash-landed, claiming several lives among its crew. Meanwhile, in the sun-kissed city of Los Angeles, Billy Covington (Robert Downey Jr.), a daredevil helicopter pilot for a local radio station, found himself at odds with the Federal Aviation Administration after disregarding safety protocols. His boldness and disregard for authority, however, caught the attention of a mysterious government agent who offered him a chance to regain his piloting license - under one condition: Billy would need to take on a mission in Laos for the enigmatic Air America.

Air America, though masquerading as a strictly civilian operation, was undoubtedly a front for CIA activities in the war-torn country. For Billy, who found himself jobless and struggling to make ends meet, this unexpected opportunity proved too enticing to resist. In Laos, he would be immersed in an eccentric world of unorthodox pilots and aircraft, with Gene Ryack (Mel Gibson), a cynical and flamboyant arms dealer, serving as his guide. Gene’s ultimate goal was to accumulate enough wealth to retire from his Air America career, amassing a fortune through illicit deals and official flights.

As Billy navigated this treacherous landscape, he soon found himself entangled in a complex web of deception and intrigue. Senator Davenport (Lane Smith) arrived on the scene, ostensibly on a fact-finding mission to investigate allegations that Air America was involved in drug trafficking for Laotian forces. Major Lemond (Ken Jenkins), Rob Diehl (David Marshall Grant), and other CIA leaders worked tirelessly to conceal their true activities from the Senator’s prying eyes.

Billy’s next adventure began with an aerial livestock drop, accompanied by Jack Neely (Art LaFleur). However, their C-123 cargo plane was brought down in a hail of gunfire. As Communist Pathet Lao forces closed in on the crash site, Billy and his crew were left stranded - until General Soong’s (Burt Kwouk) Pilatus PC-6 helicopter arrived to salvage some crucial cargo: bags of opium. Gene and another pilot would eventually arrive to rescue Billy and Jack, whisking them away from harm as they escaped in another aircraft.

As Billy and Gene’s helicopter takes a direct hit from enemy fire, their ill-fated journey back to safety is brutally cut short. The pair finds themselves in the midst of a rural Lao tribe, whose antiquated flintlock guns are a far cry from the sophisticated weaponry they’re accustomed to. Gene seizes an opportunity to strike a deal with the tribe, offering them superior arms in exchange for their freedom. Upon their release, Billy is stunned to discover that Gene’s domestic life is a stark contrast to his own high-stakes existence - Gene has a loving wife and children, a reality that serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war.

Gene’s growing disillusionment with US actions in Laos finds him at a crossroads. He urges Billy to abandon his post with Air America, citing the futility of their efforts. However, Billy is driven by a personal vendetta against General Soong, who betrayed him when he crashed earlier. Meanwhile, Senator Davenport’s frustration with Lemond and Diehl reaches a boiling point as he demands concrete evidence of the heroin smuggling that has plagued Laos.

The pilots’ return to base is met with devastating news: Jack, whose search for Billy and Gene sparked the initial crisis, has lost his life in a tragic accident. The subsequent claim by Lemond and Diehl that Jack was the mastermind behind the drug trafficking serves only to enrage Billy further. His quest for retribution reaches new heights as he purchases black market grenades and unleashes them on the heroin factory, leaving him racing against time as guards close in.

Gene, however, has been secretly orchestrating a plan to extricate himself from the gunrunning racket. He finds a buyer for his arsenal, allowing him to leave the business behind and prioritize his family’s safety above all else. Meanwhile, Billy accepts one final mission before he hangs up his wings - a seemingly routine flight transporting flour to a refugee camp. His instincts prove correct as Babo (Tim Thomerson), his new co-pilot, reveals that their cargo holds a hidden surprise: several kilos of heroin disguised among the sacks of flour.

Billy’s fuel gauge is tampered with, and he becomes increasingly suspicious of the true nature of their mission. With no other options available, Billy and Babo decide to crash-land on the same airstrip where Billy had previously crashed, utilizing the wreckage as a makeshift hiding place for the smaller aircraft. In a desperate bid to expose the truth behind the heroin trade, Billy takes a stand against the forces of corruption that have consumed his world.

As Gene soared through the skies, he couldn’t help but think about his impending mission to deliver a substantial arsenal. His first priority, however, was rescuing his trusted friends Babo and Billy from a precarious situation. Upon landing, Gene was met with an unexpected conundrum - Billy’s inability to maintain control of even the most basic aircraft. Despite this, Gene couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was amiss in the refugee camp they had received a distress call about. The camp was caught in the crossfire between General Soong’s forces and local rebels, with innocent lives hanging precariously in the balance.

Gene’s instincts proved correct, as they were met with chaos upon arrival. United States Agency for International Development official (Nancy Travis) was in charge of the camp, but she refused to leave without ensuring the safety of the refugees under her care. Gene tried to reason with her, but ultimately decided to take matters into his own hands by offloading the weapons from his aircraft and using them to destroy the cache, thereby clearing a path for their escape.

With the rescue mission complete, Gene turned his attention to finding a way to recoup his losses. Billy and he concocted a scheme to sell the aircraft, hoping to earn back some of the funds they had invested in the operation. However, Senator Davenport wasn’t fooled by their ruse and threatened to expose Lemond and Diehl’s operation to Washington, putting Gene’s entire plan at risk.