Goofs

All throughout the movie there are many continuity errors with aircraft in flight: changing between one-seat and two-seat aircraft; the number of external fuel tanks they are carrying; the number of weapons remaining on them. This also clashes with the dialogue, with characters claiming no weapons remain while subsequent external shots show the opposite.

Numerous times during the movie, there are shots of the F16 with its landing gear down while it's in a dogfight or performing evasive maneuvers. This would not be possible at the speeds needed. It's obviously reused footage of the F16 taking off.

In some scenes, Doug is driving a red 1966 Mustang convertible, clearly identified by the dash configuration, and the pitchfork quarter panel trim. In other scenes, He is driving a 1965 Mustang which is identified by the honeycomb grille and wings on the corral in the center (not installed on any '66 model)

In the shot just before Doug punches Knotcher, he is standing at least 15 feet away.

As the 2 F-16s roll out at the start of the rescue mission, rolling down the runway in full afterburner it looks like both aircraft are unarmed, yet in the next shot as they pull up and retract landing gear, both are fully armed.

All Air Force members and/or civilians are not allowed to wear hats/flight caps on the Flightline. They can fall off and create FOD (Foreign Object Damage).

The M-61A1 cannon does not require a radar lock to shoot at a target, and is not affected by any operating mode of the radar. The radar could be turned off, and the cannon would still operate normally. In reality, no weapon that the F-16s carried in the film required a radar lock to operate. The AIM-9 Sidewinder air to air missile tracks via the target's IR signature, not a radar lock.

During the graduation scene where Doug is remembering flying with his dad, after they land, Doug's father, Colonel Masters is approached by a the guy he was flying with, a Major. During this scene, when Col. Masters is questioned by the Major about the maneuvers he saw and the music he heard, Col. Masters responds in a subservient manner and is the first to salute. A Colonel outranks a Major. The Major should always be the first to salute and should be the one to act subservient to the Colonel.

Chappy tells Doug that the enemy forces use a French-built radar, so they can be spoofed using foil packs. Foil packs, better known as Chaff, are designed to spoof various radar wavelengths. The radar's country of origin is inconsequential.

In the opening dogfight scene, both F-16 pilots call each other by rank, but actual USAF pilots wouldn't use names or rank but instead their call-signs assigned for that particular mission. Military radio etiquette prohibits airing name or rank over frequencies.

All aircraft used in the movie are not USAF F-16s, they are in fact Israeli AF aircraft. Their camouflage was not repainted, but their roundels were. In fact you can see patches of paint where US markings were painted over IAF markings, and where Stars Of David roundels were painted over. In addition, there are too many Stars and Bars US Military symbols on the -16s. There should only be four. One on the Top of the L wing, one on the bottom of the R wing, and two on the rear top of the fuselage between the wing and horizontal stabilizer. The F-16s in the movie carry six, one on both L and R top and bottoms of the wings.

The enemy fighters used in this film are not MIGs at all. They are Israeli Aircraft Industries F-21 Kfirs, which are French Mirage 5s that are modified and produced by Israel.

During and at the end of the race between Doug and Notcher, the Cessna 150/152's flaps are extended. Flaps increase drag and would be used to slow the aircraft. It is implied that Doug is flying at maximum speed to try and beat the motorcycle to the finish line. This couldn't be done with flaps extended. It is an obvious production necessity to make it appear that the race is close. Otherwise the Cessna would easily leave the motorcycle behind.

During the opening shot of Col. Masters' cockpit, the VSI (vertical speed indicator) is showing a 2500 foot-per-minute climb, yet the altimeter is stable and is not showing an increase in altitude.

When Col. Masters is engaging the enemy in the beginning he comments that the enemy is flying MIG 23s. While his (simulated) radar image distinctly shows a MiG-23 Flogger with its wings swept back, the aircraft he is engaging are obviously delta-winged with canards.

When Doug Masters asks to use the Simulator, he is told that another person is waiting for it but hasn't arrive yet. Doug is given permission to use it for the interim. When this person does arrive (revealed to be Chappy), he is told he missed his simulator time. Doug was in the simulator for no more than a minute, so either Chappy was very late (therefore his fault) or the simulator time was impossibly short. Either way, it certainly doesn't seem like Doug's fault.

When Doug and Knotcher have their argument after the run through Snake Canyon, Knotcher is talking with his helmet on and is sounding unmuffled and clear.

The lock-on audio tone for the AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles is incorrect. The AIM-9, while seeking for a target, actually makes a growling tone that is heard by the pilot. When the missile locks onto a target the growl turns into a constant buzzing.

During the celebration scene the audio develops an echo quality similar to recording from a live, amplified source.

The brief aerial view of the oil refinery actually shows a desalination plant.

Insignia shown at Ramstein Air Base, Germany depicted the base as being part of the Tactical Air Command. Ramstein was never a part of Tactical Air Command, it comes under the command of United States Air Forces in Europe.

In the entire scene where Doug and Chappy are walking on the tarmac, the flight suit that Chappy is wearing displays incorrect patch(es). One in particular is a patch for the "131st Rescue Squadron - ALERT"; that squadron is located in California and have never operated F-16's.

The night before the mission to rescue Doug's father, Chappie makes a recording on tape for Doug to play, should something go wrong. The next day, when Chappie's plane is shot down, Doug plays the tape. However the recording talks about details they just discovered that day while flying the mission that he couldn't have known the night before while recording it.

When Doug's dad is chewing him out, Doug says, "Come on, Dad!" His dad, obviously meaning to say, "Don't 'come on Dad' me!" answers instead with, "Don't come on me Dad!"

Many of the U.S. Air Force personnel repeatedly mispronounce Ramstein Air Base to rhyme with Bean. It should rhyme with Fine.

The names of U.S. air bases in Europe are mispronounced and misspelled. Torrejon Air Base, Spain, is pronounced "Tore-uh-hone", however, the maintenance supervisor mispronounces it as "Tree-John". Hellenikon Air Base, Greece was misspelled on Doug's aircraft display, and mispronounced by Chappie as "Helicon". It is actually pronounced "Hel-en-uh-con".

Before the race at the beginning of the movie, Chappy is working on Doug's plane. Doug asks "What are you doing making my mixture so rich?". The only things accessible through a Cessna's cowling hatch are an oil dipstick and possibly a fuel sump. The fuel/air mixture can be adjusted with a control on the instrument panel, easily accessible to the pilot in flight.

When standing outside Chappy's trailer, Doug mentions all the different weapons systems that he could have the F16's armed with. He says "all the 30 millimeter rounds the G-pod can carry". The F16 is armed with the M61 Vulcan cannon which fires 20mm rounds, not 30mm. The General Electric "G-Pod" was an externally-mounted cannon which was briefly tested on the F-16, but did not see widespread operational usage.