Editing Civil Air Transport (section)

==CIA Activities via Air America==
Air America flew covert missions, including inserting and extracting CIA operatives, Navy SEALs, and Special Forces, as well as conducting search-and-rescue operations for downed U.S. pilots. Pilots like Dan Kurtz operated non-FAA-certified military aircraft in combat roles under civilian cover.

The CIA’s Special Activities Division (SAD) worked closely with Air America, with pilots transporting CIA station chiefs like William Colby to remote airstrips and supporting commando operations. A 1970 White House memo from Henry Kissinger to President Nixon confirmed Air America’s status as a CIA proprietary, highlighting its pilots’ expertise in Laos’ terrain.

Controversially, Air America planes were linked to '''drug trafficking''' in Laos, particularly opium transport for Hmong allies reliant on poppy cultivation. Historian Alfred W. McCoy argues the CIA tolerated or facilitated this trade to secure Hmong loyalty, though direct CIA involvement remains debated. 
===Key Operations===
Lima Site 85: Air America supported the CIA’s covert radar site in Laos, used to guide U.S. bombing of North Vietnam. The site’s fall in 1968 highlighted the risks of CIA operations in contested areas.

Vietnam War Evacuations: In 1975, Air America helicopters evacuated Americans and South Vietnamese from Saigon, including the iconic rooftop evacuation from the U.S. Embassy, marking a humanitarian end to its operations.
Dissolution and Legacy (1968–1976)

Financial Success: Unlike most CIA proprietaries, CAT and Air America were profitable, returning $20–25 million to the U.S. Treasury upon dissolution in 1976. Air Asia, a subsidiary holding Air America’s assets, was sold to Evergreen International Airlines.

End of Operations: Air America was dissolved on June 30, 1976, after the Vietnam War, with its operating certificate canceled in 1974. Attempts to continue operations in Thailand via Continental Air Services Inc. failed by 1975.

Legacy: CAT and Air America remain the longest-lasting and most successful CIA proprietaries, operating for 26 years without direct U.S. government funding. Their pilots and crews, often unrecognized due to the covert nature of their work, are commemorated at the CIA’s headquarters and through the CAT Association.