An air proprietary operated by the CIA. The airline was based on the Civil Air Transport (CAT) airline, already operated under the aegis of the CIA since the early 1950s. The airline was given the corporate name Air America in 1959.
Air America operated with commercial success, in part through contracts with the U.S. Air Force. The airline was very active in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, being involved in a variety of both political and military support operations in addition to flying cargo for various governments, intelligence services, and private customers. Air America pilots also performed combat rescues of downed pilots in Laos, and flew forward air control missions over Laos, guiding U.S., Laotian, and Thai aircraft in ground attacks. Some U.S. Air Force pilots were sheep dipped to Air America during that period.
Air America pilots flew various transport and utility aircraft, including H-34 helicopters on loan from the U.S. Marine Corps. Armed T-28 Trojan trainers were apparently flown in on strikes in Laos.
Air America was disbanded in 1981.
The airline was the subject of the 1990 film Air America, starring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr. The film was based on a book by Richard Rush.
