Overview
Air America was the CIA's private airline operating in Laos during the Vietnam War, running anything and everything from soldiers to foodstuffs for local villagers. After losing his pilot's license, Billy Covington is recruited, and ends up in the middle of a bunch of lunatic pilots, gun-running by his friend Gene Ryack, and opium smuggling by his own superiors.
Trailer
Crew
DirectorRoger Spottiswoode
WriterJohn Eskow, Richard Rush
Cast
Mel Gibson
Gene Ryack
Robert Downey Jr.
Billy Covington
Nancy Travis
Corinne Landreaux
Ken Jenkins
Major Donald Lemond
David Marshall Grant
Rob Diehl
Lane Smith
Senator Davenport
Art LaFleur
Jack Neely
Ned Eisenberg
Pirelli
Marshall Bell
O.V.
David Bowe
Saunders
Burt Kwouk
General Lu Soong
Tim Thomerson
Babo
Harvey Jason
Nino
Natta Nantatanti
Gene's Daughter
Purin Panichpan
Gene's Son
Yanee Tramoth
Gene's Brother-in-law
Ernie Lively
Truck Driver
Burke Byrnes
Recruiter
Michael Dudikoff
General Lee (uncredited)
Sinjai Plengpanich
May Ling
More like this
Keywords
vietnam warcentral intelligence agency (cia)airplanedrug smugglingrefugee camppilotlaosdrugs1960s
Details
Budget
$35M
Revenue
$58M
TMDb Votes
660
Added May 14, 2026Updated Jun 4, 2026