Air America (1990) - 9 mistakes

Revealing: After crashing in the jungle, while hanging "upside down,"  Mel Gibson's medallion hangs in the wrong direction. This shows that the actors were actually right side up, and the camera was inverted in order to create this scene.

Other: When Robert Downey Jr. lowers the helicopter onto the freeway to yell at the truck driver, he is very close to the truck driver, so close that the truck driver can even hit the helicopter. Why does a long haired man standing underneath a helicopter not have his hair blown around?

Continuity: When Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. are hanging upside down in the copter, the first scene (with the necklace mistake) has Mel in the right seat and Robert in the left seat. When they crash out of the window Mel falls out first from the left seat and then Robert from the right seat.

Factual error: The movie was to have taken place in the late 60's,in the restaurant scene two guys on stage are singing "A Horse With No Name" which didn't come out until 1974.

Continuity: When Gene and Billy arrive at the air base Gene is now shown in R H seat and Billy is no longer dangling from a rope but is in the helicopter.

Continuity: In the jungle, when Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr are falling on the ground after jumping out of the helicopter there is a green mat on the ground for them to fall on.   The plants on the ground didn't cover it all the way.

Continuity: When Billy was dangling from the rope he was wearing a dressing gown and long sleeved top. When he steps out of the helicopter at the base he is no longer in dressing gown and now has short sleeved t- shirt on.

Factual error: Billy's helicopter pilot's licence is cancelled by mail. This doesn't happen. First, a pilot has his licence suspended pending a hearing. The hearing takes place, allowing the pilot a chance to defend himself. The tribunal will make its decision and the pilot is advised there and then of the result. It's like a trial, in many ways. This has always been the way, right back to the 1930s.

Factual error: When he picks Billy up with a rope from the helicopter while he is asleep, Mel Gibson flies the OH-58 (Bell Jet Ranger) helicopter single pilot from the left seat. Helicopters flown single pilot are always flown from the right since the only starter button is on the right side collective control, as well as the right side always has more instrumentation than the left side.